


Creased Maps and Foldaway Journals

by whathappenedinwellington



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Australia, Blow Jobs, Dirty Talk, Fluff and Angst, Friends With Benefits, Hand Jobs, M/M, Mirror Sex, Miscommunication, Niall is the captain of this ship, Rimming, Semi-Public Sex, Smut, Sorry Not Sorry, Strangers to Lovers, Teacher Louis, Travel, yeah they have a lot of sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2017-09-19
Packaged: 2018-10-23 21:22:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 66,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10727517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whathappenedinwellington/pseuds/whathappenedinwellington
Summary: “I’m Louis. You are?”His accent is the first thing that catches Harry’s attention—a fellow Brit. The second is the soft, raspy quality his voice employs which Harry finds oddly soothing in nature. A charming combination of calming and sexy.“Harry.” He says as he takes the man’s, Louis’, outstretched hand in his own and gives a friendly shake. “I take it you’re from my side of the pond?”Or the one where Harry and Louis meet on a contiki tour and travel the east coast of Australia together. Niall, Liam and Zayn are there too.(Featuring Sydney, Blue Mountains, Coughs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Byron Bay, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Noosa, Whitsundays, Cairns, and Melbourne)





	1. Manchester to Sydney

**Author's Note:**

> Hiiiiii, I've been working on this story for almost a year now and not to be dramatic or anything... but it is kind of my baby.  
> In the wise words of Harry Styles himself: It's 2017. Be nice. Be good.  
> No but seriously, be gentle with my child.  
> Enjoy :)

“Boarding will commence at 9:35 at gate 11. Have a nice trip, Sir,” says the petite woman checking in Harry’s luggage as she prints as presents him with his boarding pass.

“You too!” Harry returns politely, ever enthusiastically, before turning on his heel and making his way out of the crowds of the baggage check in point of the airport terminal. He only realises his mistake once he has reached where mum and sister are seated, chatting idly as they wait for him. _You too,_ he groans internally. Could he honestly be any more awkward?

“Checked in and everything?” Gemma asks, to which Harry answers with a single nod. “Ugh, finally. Let’s find somewhere to get some breakfast. I’m starved.”

Harry snorts at his sister’s impatience. “Hey grumpy, I didn’t force you to come. You were the one who volunteered to drive me, remember?”

“Yes, and _you_ were the one who failed to tell me this was a ‘get up at the crack of dawn’ kind of event. I volunteered under the impression I wouldn’t have to wake up before the bloody sun.”

“Mum’s not complaining.” Harry counters as he readjusts the strap of his duffle on his shoulder.

Anne steps between the two of them, rolling he eyes good-naturedly. Harry and Gemma have always been extremely close, Anne coming to terms years ago that the sarcastic, teasing way they speak to one another is just their way of lovingly communicating. “Children, stop fighting. Breakfast?”

The three end up at a little café in one of the many food areas scattered around Manchester Airport. Harry orders a muesli bowl served with yogurt and seasonal fruits and a cappuccino, figuring something light would be best for his uneasy pre-travel stomach. They settle into a table in a much less crowded area of the eatery in the far right corner, their orders being presented to them shortly after. His flight doesn’t leave for a little over an hour so they have plenty of time to sit and enjoy.

“Harry, dear, please stop fidgeting,” his mother says while placing a tender hand over his own on top of the table.  Only after she does so does he realise that he had been absentmindedly drumming the two heavyset rings on his index and middle finger against the wooden surface.

“Sorry.” Harry moves his offending hand to his lap, intertwining it with his other. “I’m a little bit exited. And nervous. Exited and nervous. Anxious?”

“And I’m a little bit jealous,” Gemma pipes in from across the table. “You’re going to bloody Australia! That’s on the other side of the world, you lucky git.”

Harry’s can feel his lips tug up on their own accord at Gemma’s words. He knows that this is an amazing opportunity, one that a lot of people don’t get to experiences in their life yet here his. In his 22 years of living, he’s done quite a bit of travelling but never has he gone somewhere as far away as Australia. In fact, he’s never actually left Europe so he’s more than ready to experience a totally different environment and immerse himself in a culture he’s never been exposed to before. This is also his very first time travelling solo and although he knows he can look after himself just fine, his body is thrumming with a nervous energy he’s never experienced from travelling with a group, or even a partner, before.

Like magnets, his eyes unconsciously flit to his wrist watch for the hundredth time since arriving at the airport. Still an hour until boarding. Hopefully once he’s seated on the plane his nerves will settle down, he can get some rest and before he knows it they will be touching down in Australia.

 “It’s not like I’ll be travelling in luxury like you do, Gems.” Harry replies. “The tour mostly consists of staying in hostels and like cabins in camping grounds and stuff. There’s actually only a few nights in actual hotels. Lots of space sharing with other people, people I don’t know at that. Not really your style.”

Gemma looks mildly offended at his allusion before she seems to mull it over and is nodding in agreement—she would not stoop lower than four stars under any circumstances. Harry thought he was a princess but Gemma is on a whole other level.

“So remind me again, exactly what places will you be visiting?” Anne questions, one hand wrapped around the warmth of her mug of tea, the other still settled on top of the table where her sons previously was.

Her body language is seemingly calm but Harry can tell by the look in her eyes and the tone of her voice that she’s nervous about her baby going somewhere so far and foreign all by himself. Far more nervous than Harry himself is which definitely says something.

“The tour starts in Sydney then we go to Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Noosa, Whitsunday Islands and then the tour ends in Cairns.” Harry rattles off. He’s had this memorised for months and he knows for a fact that he’s told his mother at least half a dozen times so she probably has it down too. He’s actually pretty sure he saw the itinerary pinned to the fridge as they’d rushed out the door that morning but he humours her regardless. “Then I’m flying to Melbourne and spending a bit of time there on my own before coming back. Just one month and I’ll be home.” Winking, he adds, “You won’t even notice I’ve gone anywhere.”

“Oh Harry, please promise us you’ll be careful.” Anne stresses. “Don’t be shy with updates, email us whenever you can.”

“And send heaps of pictures!” Gemma chimes in around the rim of her mug, her voice slightly amplified by the porcelain.

“I promise that I will be very careful and I will send updates,” turning to Gemma he continues, “and pictures whenever I have Wi-Fi. I’ll be fine mum, Australia is a very safe place and the I booked the contiki with a very reputable company that had outstanding reviews so everything will be fine.”

Harry reassurances only earn him a defeated sigh from his mother. Harry has always been a ‘mummy’s boy’, for lack of a better word, and he is the baby of the family after all so Anne has always struggled with his adventurous nature and inability to stay put in one place for too long. Despite this, she has never ever held him back from any of his endeavours, big or small, which Harry thinks just further proves how great her love for him truly is. He certainly loves her with all of his heart.

“You do know Melbourne is like my dream city, right? I can’t believe my little brother is going there before me.” Gemma’s sighs longingly, “The fashion, the food. I imagine it would be similar to London just not so bloody freezing. A dream, really.”

“Don’t worry Gems, I’ll send you a post card!” he teases earning himself a flick to the ear.

“Arsehole,” she rolls her eyes.

Anne taps her thigh. “Gemma, be nice to your brother, you’re not going to see him for a month.”

“Mum, please. I usually don’t see him for months at a time while he’s at uni and I’m in London working. In fact, neither do you so stop stressing about not seeing him for four bloody weeks. He’s a big boy and you’re going to give yourself wrinkles.”

Anne huffs. “Am I a bad mother for worrying?”

Harry sighs when he sees tears welling in his mother’s eyes. He stands from his chair, prompting Anne to do the same before pulling her into a tight hug, tucking his face into her neck like he’s done since he was a child. She still wears the same perfume as back then.

“I promise I will be fine.” He kisses her cheek before returning his face to the crook of her neck. “I love you.”

“I love you too, baby.” Anne pulls away from the hug, keeping her arms around his waist as her eyes run over his face. “I trust you, I do. And I know you will have the best time but I just can’t help fretting. I’m your mother, it’s my job.”

Harry chuckles, wrapping his arms around Anne once more. 

“I should probably make my way to the gate now.”

After two overly dramatic goodbyes’ (considering the little amount of time he will be gone for) he makes his way through security and into the main part of the terminal. After a rather extensive browse through the tacky airport gift stores and news agents and a quick trip to the gents’ room, he settles down in the gate 11 lounge to await boarding. Thankfully, boarding is on time and he’s only been seated for about 10 minutes before he’s walking onto the plane and settling into his economy class seat. He’s thrilled to learn that 17A is in fact a window seat and that 17B will be occupied by a friendly-looking woman around his own age as he relaxes into the seat and prepares for two _hopefully_ decent, trouble-free flights with a relatively quick stop over in between.

***

The first thing Harry registers when he steps off the plane in Sydney is _humidity_. The January air is thick and the heat of it is that much more intensified by the full overhead sun beaming down on him, wrapping around him like a thick, _damp_ blanket. British summer is _so_ weak, that much is already very clear.

He collects his bags with no fuss and (with a little more fuss) catches the airport bus to his hotel. As simple as Australian money looks, almost monopoly like with its diverse colour scheme and plastic-y feel (very unintimidating), he still manages to get confused when trying to pay for his ticket which he would usually be embarrassed about but figures the administrator is probably used to clueless travellers, working at one of the largest international airports in the world.

When the bus pulls up to the front of his hotel, he instinctively retrieves his wallet from the front pocket of his backpack and is deliberating which coloured note to slip the driver before he remembers _you don’t do that in Australia._

Because, yeah, he’s in Australia.

He’s had this trip booked for almost a year but he’d had it all planned out much before then, _years_ ago when he was still in high school for God’s sake, so it’s quite surreal to actually be here.

He checks into the hotel and settles into his room at around 5pm local time, immediately taking a shower to wake himself up a bit and to wash away the stale, travel smell that no doubt lingers on his body and clothes. He foregoes clothes instead opting to just slip into a pair of briefs before cranking the air conditioning up while getting himself comfortable under the crisp sheets of the hotel bed. Propping himself up against the headboard, he sends a quick message to his mum informing her of his safe arrival with a quick snap he took while his plane was landing, a sunny bird’s eye view of Sydney.

He orders room service consisting of grilled chicken, salad and chips which he eats in bed while flicking through the TV channels before settling on some Australian soap drama. It’s entertaining enough that he doesn’t pass out on top his meal, though to be fair, not by much. He manages to stay awake until 7:30pm which he considers good enough considering he has to be up bright and early tomorrow for the beginning of the Contiki Tour and the beginning of his Australian Adventure.

***

**CONTIKI DAY 1**

Harry is awoken by the repetitive sound of the default alarm on his iPhone at exactly 6am. He makes a mental note as he presses the snooze button to change the aggravating sound that is Marimba to quite literally anything else. Maybe a Brittney Spears classic would be a nice way to start his day. _Toxic_ would do the trick, he thinks.

Or maybe he should stick with classic Marimba as after just the second ring he’s shutting the alarm off completely and slipping out of bed. Effective.

He slips into the bathroom and isn’t surprised to see dark bags under his eyes in the reflection of the mirror. Despite having a fairly deep and un-fitful sleep, Harry knows that it’s going to take some time for his body to adjust to such a dramatic time and climate change. He takes a quick shower to freshen up before brushing his teeth, styling his hair and getting dressed for the day in a pair of cut-off denim shorts, a plain white t-shirt and his bright yellow Nikes. He packs up his luggage, checks out of the hotel and buys a breakfast sandwich from the bakery down down the street before settling on the bench out the front of his hotel where he will be picked up by the Contiki company.

The sleek, white van arrives at precisely 7am as promised. The driver gets out, greets him, takes his luggage to the back and encourages Harry to get himself seated on the bus. He assumes this is the bus that they will be travelling on for the next two weeks and he has to say that he’s quite pleased by what he sees. The interior is modern with leather seats and a well-functioning air-conditioner with a vent above each seat. Thank God.

He takes a seat towards the front while the driver re-situates himself and announces that they have just one more pick up before they head to the hotel they will be staying in that night (one of their 3 nights with the luxury of a hotel stay) to check in since they won’t be back until after the hotel’s strict check in time closes for the night.

Harry soon regrets seating himself isolated at the front of the bus when he can’t figure out a way to size up his fellow travellers without fully turning his body in his seat. Yeah, probably wouldn’t be very subtle. He eventually settles on just leaning back and enjoying the soft hum of radio music for the short ride to the hotel where he can more discretely make his personal assessment.

***

The hotel is nice. A little more out of the way than the one he stayed at the previous night which is to be expected for a more appealing priced tour such as this one, but really much more luxurious than necessarily required for a one-night stay. The reception is spacious and enclosed by windows, offering a panoramic view of the city streets.

All the travellers are bunched in their little groups they came with in the reception lounge where they were told to wait as their room check in’s are all organized for them.

Harry takes this time for his personal assessment. His fellow travellers look like a good group of people, all similar in age, perky and cheerful much like Harry himself. His eyes catch on a man leant against a wall all alone, a man whose bright red suitcase resting by his feet Harry definitely recognises as one that was loaded off the bus. He’s most likely in the same boat as Harry right now, also travelling solo with the plan to make friends along the way. Harry decides mystery man is a perfect first candidate for dependable travel buddy.

“Hey mate,” Harry smiles easily as he approaches the man. He’s always been good at making friends, some go so far as to call him charming. “You travelling on your own too?”

When the man turns, Harry is struck by blue eyes as deep as the Pacific Ocean and a sculpted, tanned face framed by a soft, effortlessly styled fringe. He’s slightly shorter than Harry but looks sturdier, all thick muscles and and a compact stature. He has a light stubble growing across his jaw and Harry guesses that he’s probably a couple years older than himself. 25 at the oldest. The man studies his face for a moment before his mouth stretches into a grin showing off a lovely set of straight, white teeth.

He stretches his hand out for Harry to shake. “I am. I’m Louis. You are?”

His accent is the first thing that catches Harry’s attention—a fellow Brit. The second is the soft, raspy quality his voice employs which Harry finds oddly soothing in nature. A charming combination of calming and sexy.

“Harry.” He says as he takes the man’s, _Louis’_ , outstretched hand in his own and gives a friendly shake. “I take it you’re from my side of the pond?”

“Doncaster.” Louis nods. “although I live in Manchester now. What about yourself?”

“Ah, a fellow Northerner, I could tell. I grew up in Cheshire myself but I now live in Sheffield so I guess we kind of swapped sides of the map.” Harry joked. He’s contemplative for a moment before he continues, “Well, I don’t really live there anymore, I don’t know. I don’t really live anywhere at the moment.”

A concerned look crosses over Louis’ face, his eyebrows creasing and head tilting slightly. “You alright, mate? What do you mean you don’t live anywhere?”

“I’ve just finished Uni at Sheffield.” Harry explains, watching as the lines on Louis’ forehead smooth out as he nods in understanding. “I’m taking a gap year and I’ve been travelling a lot so most of the time when I’m in England I’m stationed at my mum’s house, most of my things are kind of stuffed into my childhood bedroom. I don’t know, I think after being away for so many years for Uni I just can’t really think of Cheshire as home anymore, just,” he pauses, waving his hand back and forth as he searches for the right word, “the place I grew up, I guess. The place where my family is.” 

Louis nods along, obviously paying Harry his full attention and actually looking genuinely interested in what he has to say. “I get you. Whenever I go back to Donny for the holidays I always feel like a visitor even though I spent the first 18 years of me life there. It’s strange that, I’m glad someone else agrees.”

“Totally agree.” Harry says. “So what do you do in Manchester then?”

Louis smiles as he resituates his sunglasses that sit atop his head. “I’m a teacher. Have been for two years now, I love it.”

“That’s great but didn’t school go back like a week ago? How are you taking holiday time in January?” Harry questions as he runs a hand through his hair, already wildly frizzing from the humidity. He curses his past self that didn’t think to grab a hair tie to secure around his wrist before packing his luggage up this morning.

“Yeah, good question. Smart observation.” Louis winks and Harry can tell that it’s a practiced move. It must have something to do with the youthful glint in his eyes or the playful tilt to his smile but Louis strikes Harry as quite the flirt.

“I actually work at a special school for disabled kids so the holiday schedule is a little different than the public school schedule. We like to break the holiday time up a bit more evenly across the year, it just provides more stability and routine for the ones who need it. We’ve got 3 more weeks until the term starts so I will literally be flying back the day this ends, get home Sunday night and start back to the kids Monday morning.”

Harry’s eyebrows raise on their own accord. Not only does he work in children, which to Harry is such a commendable career in itself but he works with _disabled_ children. A job which Harry understands must be challenging at the best of times and would take a gentle and nurturing soul to take on. He’s absolutely certain that the respect he feels towards Louis for perusing such a selfless career is radiating off of him. Harry is impressed.

“Wow, that’s incredible. You must love kids.”

“I do.” Louis agrees with a curt nod. “What about you?”

Harry tilts his head. “Do I like kids?”

“No, sorry,” Louis chuckles, “although I suppose that is an important question but I mean what do you do? Or what are you going to do now that you’ve finished Uni, rather? What did you study?”

“I majored in business but I also studied photography. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with it just yet. To be quite honest, I’m just focusing on now and I’ll worry about it when my year I gave myself to just chill out is over.” Harry offered a cheeky smile and replicated Louis’ flirtatious wink from earlier. It doesn’t feel as smooth as Louis’ had looked. “And yes, I love kids. Just so you know.”

Louis laughs, eyes shaping into crescent moons and knocking their shoulders together. Harry think’s Louis is someone he could definitely see himself being friends with. Someone who if he met at home, perhaps in a bar or at the gym or heck, even the bloody grocery store, he’d definitely try to get to know better. He seems intelligent, quick-witted and like the type of person who constantly exudes light and positivity no matter the situation. He seems like the type of person who is always surrounded by people and is well loved and appreciated.

Harry mentally scoffs at his friends who had laughed when he’d told them that he would be travelling with a group of strangers for 3 weeks. They had told him _“good luck by yourself when the group turns out to be a bunch of tossers”_. Ha, 5 minutes in and he’s already met someone who he’s genuinely exited to become friends with and learn more about. Not a single tosser in sight.

The lull in conversation makes Harry aware of the little group standing right by himself and Louis, chatting excitedly amongst one another. Apparently Louis has the same train of though as he tilts his head in their direction, flicking his eyes towards Harry with raised eyebrows.

“More Brits? Apparently the world is smaller than I thought.”

Louis flicks his head in their direction. “Let’s go say hi. One of them is probably my bloody neighbour. Maybe my mail man,” he says with a silly smirk on his face, clearly pleased with his own joke.

Harry just shakes his head trying to hide the amused tilt to his lips as he follows Louis to the group of four.

“Sorry to interrupt.” Louis says catching the attention of the group. There are three other guys and one girl amongst them. “We couldn’t help but notice your accents. Seems like half of bloody England is on this tour. Didn’t we come here to escape?” The group all laugh. “I’m Louis and this is Harry.” Louis says wrapping his arm around Harry’s shoulders and pulling him into the side of his body with a beaming smile.

The short, brunette girl eyes them curiously before a slow grin overtakes her face and she’s playfully slapping the man to her right on the arm. “See Zayn! Told you Liam and I wouldn’t be the only couple to go on this thing!” she says very matter-of-factly, gesturing towards Harry and Louis.

Harry feels a blush rise in his cheeks immediately. He’s thankful when Louis speaks up first.

“Oh, no. We’re not together.” Louis laughs awkwardly dropping his arm off his shoulder and manoeuvring himself slightly left, putting a bit of space between their bodies. Harry knows its silly that he feels somewhat offended by Louis’ swift denial. Of course it’s silly, they did just meet after all. “We actually just met about 5 minutes ago, so…”

“Oh, sorry!” The girls’ eyes widen comically as a deep blush settles over her entire face all the way down to her neck. “I shouldn’t have just assumed, you just—I mean… Zayn, this is Zayn by the way.” She hastily gestures to her right where a man with dark features, who Harry can now put a name to, is looking very amused. He raises a hand in greeting, smirk firmly plastered on his lips. “He said that couples shouldn’t travel together like this because it just makes them fight and them fighting just always ruins everyone else’s time. Me and Liam are together by the way,” she continues, pulling the burly man with a buzz cut on her left into her side. Harry assumes that’s Liam. Regardless, he’s looking equally amused as Zayn. “So... and then I saw you guys and I’m just. Sorry. I hope I didn’t offend you.”

Harry knows what she’s suggesting when she says she hopes they’re not _offended_ and that in itself _does_ offend him—that her insinuation of him being in a relationship with another man could be taken offensively. Heck, he was more bloody offended by Louis dropping his bloody arm off his shoulders than this girl’s offhand, innocent assumption. However, the poor girl looks downright mortified so Harry lets it slide and is quick to reassure her.

“No, it’s fine. And no offense at all, I’m gay so…”

“Me too, actually.” Louis chuckles a bit. Most likely at the absurdity of the situation, Harry assumes. “We’re just not gay together.”

“Right.”

Everyone laughs awkwardly before a silence stretches as they all wait for someone to break it.

“Right, well I’m Niall.” The bleach blonde who had been watching the exchange off to the side offers his hand in greeting, cool and composed as ever. Harry’s not sure if he simply couldn’t sense the awkward tension or he’s simply choosing to ignore it. Maybe Niall specialises in defusing charged situations; maybe his friend often puts her foot in her mouth. “As you can tell, I’m not from England… well I live there but I’ll always be Irish at heart.”

Louis and Harry take his hand in acknowledgement one after the other, rattling off their own greetings and _‘nice to meet you’_ s.

“Don’t know if you picked it up amongst this one’s ramblings,” Niall says, gesturing to the girl who’s now sporting a pink flush and seems very interesting in the blue polish adorning her finger nails all of a sudden. “This here is Zayn, Liam and this is Sophia.”

Harry is about reply when his attention is struck by the sound of two hands clapping together and he turns to face the man responsible for the noise.

“Welcome to Australia, everyone!” The man hollers with a thick Australian accent. He looks to be about mid twenties, equipped with youthful eyes, a full head of sun bleached hair and golden skin. It appears tough, almost rubbery, probably due to mass exposure to the harsh Australian sun. “My name is Nathan Clark and I’m your trip manager. We’ll be spending a lot of time together over the next three weeks so I want you guys to get to know me just like I want to get to know you. I’m Australian, through and through, I grew up in a little town in Northern New South Wales called Byron Bay. You may recognise that name because that’s one of the places we will be visiting. So I grew up in a little house about a 15-minute walk from the beach and my brothers and I would spend all day everyday in the water and on our boards.” He places a hand over his heart. “I duly believe that there is no place like the east coast of Australia in the world and I have dedicated my life to proving this to everyone who gives me the opportunity to do so and I’m excited for you all to share that passion with me by the end of this trip. Do we have any questions at this point?”

Nathan’s eyes scan the area taking in all the shaking head.

“Excellent. Now I want to get to know you guys so let’s just start by shouting out where you’re from. You guys, up the back where have you come from?”

“Germany!” The two blonde-headed men at the back shout in unison.

“Lovely. How about you, up the front?”

“New Zealand.” Says the four young girls. Harry thinks they must merely be 18.

“England!” Sophia cheers next followed by Niall’s counteract of, “Ireland!”

“Japan.” The weak shout is followed by giggles.

“USA! USA! USA!” The large group in the middle of the cluster all start chanting.

“Awesome!” Nathan commends. “Love all your enthusiasm! For the next fourteen days though you’re no longer German, Kiwi, English, Irish, Japanese or American—did I remember all of them? Wow, that is most certainly a first—anyway, for the next two weeks you are all Australian’s. Us Aussies like to stick together so from now on I’d like you to consider all of us here a family. I hope you will all really take this on and really immerse yourselves in the Australian way of life! Don’t worry, it’s a simple one!”

The group all cheer once more. Harry can tell why Nathan has a job like this one as he’s clearly a natural born leader with a bubbly personality and the ability to excite and capture crowds with ease. He won’t lie, he’s still feeling a little worn out from all the travel and time zone changes but Nathan enthusiasm is really pumping him up, probably better than a triple-shot cappuccino ever could. He likes him already.

“Right, enough chit chat for now, we’ll have plenty of time for that tonight. You guys are probably itching to get on with the program for today, am I right?” More cheers. “I have your room keys here so I’ll give you all 15 to get your bags up and then we’ll meet back down here and start off on our first Australian adventure! Any questions?”

“Is Mary Jane legal here?” One of the rowdy American men brashly calls out from the back.

Luckily for the man, Nathan takes the joke in his strike, amicably teasing back with a wink, “Only if you share with your trip manager!”

They all end up on floor 9 and Harry along with Louis, Sophia, Liam, Zayn and Niall end up on the third elevator ride to their rooms, making it back down with the rest of the group in just 10 minutes.

“Now, you would’ve already been acquainted with the lovely van we’ll be travelling in equipped with an even lovelier driver.” Nathan says as he guides the group back out to the bus. “Everyone give a warm, Australian g-day to Shaun as we hop on the bus and head to our first destination!”

***

The first day of the tour is devoted to travelling around to all the Sydney tourist ‘hot-spots’ as Nathan proudly proclaims them. Since he touched down in Australia so late yesterday, this is the first proper glimpse Harry’s getting of the city and he’s absolutely mesmerised. Something about travelling to a new place has always been so extraordinary to him. The way that you can see pictures, read articles and hear stories about a place that seems so far from reach, almost impossibly so, and then to actually be there is incredible. To experience those sights that you’ve seen many times before splashed across billboards, TV and online with your own eyes is unlike any other feeling. One of the best feeling he’s yet to experience, honestly.

Harry is sat in the window seat with Louis by his side on the bus. The two continue their small talk along with Sophia, Liam, Zayn and Niall and Harry already knows that he’s found his group to stick by for the remainder of the trip. The awkwardness of their initial meeting had dissipated as soon as they’d stepped foot back on the bus, any previous feelings overridden by the one of pure excitement as they officially embark on the first day of their three-week adventure. They’re all chatty and jovial as they drive over the Sydney Harbour Bridge on their way to the Opera House where they are given 2 hours to roam the surrounding area’s. Harry asks Louis to take a picture of him on the deck in front of the harbour with the famous bridge in the background. Louis obliges using Harry’s iPhone to capture Harry’s enthusiastic smile and thumbs up before tapping a passer-by on the shoulder, passing the phone to them before herding Sophia, Liam, Zayn and Niall next to Harry. Louis situated himself next to Harry, wrapping his arm around his neck and pulling him into his body as they all grinned into the iPhone camera. The photo turned out lovely and Harry liked it so much so that he ended up using it as his screen saver.

They ended up splurging on lunch at a rather pricey café right on the harbour after about an hour and a half of exploring the area. They went full out, ordering a bottle of Champaign deciding to celebrate their first day in Australia in luxury before they would have to start spending their money more wisely like the smart travellers they were. Or at least attempting to be.

The service is exceptional and the table staff are positively charmed by Niall’s attempt at imitating an Australian accent while ordering his meal.

While walking back to the meeting point Nathan established when they had arrived, they cross a mass of people gathered around a street performer and stop to watch the magician for a few minutes. They each threw a few coins into his hat before moving on, continuing to stroll further down the boardwalk.

Their next stop on the schedule took them to the famous Bondi Beach which was even more beautiful than the photos Harry had seen online. The water was deep blue with perfectly formed waves crashing against the bleached sand on the shore. Brightly coloured sun umbrellas and beach towels lined just about every inch of the sand as hundreds of people took advantage of the beautiful weather. There was vibrant street art on the concrete walls that separates the land from the beach which Zayn took a particular interest in.

They encountered an eclectic array of personalities, from the typical surfer bro with their dreadlocks and golden skin to groups of old ladies with big, floppy hats on a stroll along the path to children playing in the sand with buckets and spades to the more hipster types, wearing far too much clothing to be considered comfortable in the heat and sipping multi-coloured smoothies. It was clear that Bondi Beach had something to offer everyone, from all walks of life.

They ended up all with their knees deep in the mild water which quickly turned into a full on splashing war at which one point Louis jumped on his back, the surprise attack causing his knees to buckle and both tumble straight into the white wash.

Back on the bus, Harry watches as Louis throws his head against the headrest of the seat next to his as Liam, sitting backwards on the seat in front of his, demonstrates the looks on both his and Harry’s faces at the precise moment they both realised they were about to take a tumble into the sea, fully clothed nonetheless. The soaked denim of his shorts chafes against his inner thighs but not even that stands a chance at taking the smile off his face as he recounts his first day in Australia in his head.

***

“So that concludes official events of the tour for day one!” Nathan claps from the front of the bus moments after they pulled up the parking bay of the hotel.

It’s mid-afternoon and Harry is absolutely exhausted. The blazing overhead sun combined with lingering jet lag has zapped his energy more intensely than a full body workout.

“So today was a short, pretty easy day.” Nathan continues, swaying on the spot as he projects his voice to address the entire group. “I realise you’ve all come from overseas and still getting used to different time zone and climate and so forth, so you’re probably all very tired. However, I would like to invite you all to the pub just down the street for dinner and a couple of drinks tonight if you’re up for it. Shaun and I will be down there at around 6 and you’re all more than welcome to join. If not, have a good rest and we will see you bright and early tomorrow when we travel to the Blue Mountains!”

There’s a few cheers amongst the group though they are substantially less enthusiastic than earlier on in the morning, the day spent exploring in the heat obvious taking an obvious energy toll on everyone. The group all head towards the elevators in one clump of tired conversation. Harry feels a strong arm wrap around his shoulders upon reaching the landing.

“You’re all down for going to the pub later, right?” Louis addresses their little group.

Liam looks regretful to say, “I don’t know, I’m pretty knackered, we only got in yesterday so we’re all pretty jet lagged still.”

“Hey, I got in yesterday too. Who were you flying with?” Harry lights up.

“QANTAS.”

“No way.” Harry grins, “Did you get in at around 3ish? From Abu Dhabi?”

“Yeah. Probably around then.” Zayn supplies. “Were you on the same flight?”

“Yeah! We were on the same flight and we didn’t even know, incredible. The world really is smaller than we think.” Harry shakes his head just as the elevators doors slide open. They all file in alongside the 2 German lads and an elderly lady who pushes the button for the second floor. Harry clicks the button for the ninth floor, the doors swiftly closing behind them and the elevator begins to rise off the ground.

As the elevators doors are closing behind the elderly lady on the second floor Louis turns to him and asks, “you’re coming to the pub later, right?

“Yeah, I’ll come,” he shrugs. He is quite tired but there’s this excited buzz under his skin that has been gradually building with every new thing they discovered, which is currently overpowering all of his desires for rest. He’s definitely up for continuing to build the buzz.

 

 

 

 

Louis grins and turns to Liam, “There ya have it, Liam. Harry was on the same flight as yours and he’s coming. Therefore, that excuse is invalid. Unless you think of a new one I’ll be seeing you at 6pm sharp, my friend.”

“Mate…”

“Oh come on! You’re on holidays!” Louis whines, throwing his hands up in exasperation. “We’re in fucking Australia! Enjoy yourself and sleep when you get home.”

“He’s right.” Zayn nods towards Louis, his gaze on Liam. “We’re in fucking Australia,” he turns to Louis, “I’m in.”

“Yes! Niall? Sophia?”

“Of course, mate! I’ve never let this grouch keep me from a pub meal and a round of beer. Not going to start now.” Niall shrugs.

“Come on, babe. For me?” Sophia pouts at Liam.

Liam rolls his eyes, but Harry can tell by the glint in his eyes that he’s anything but annoyed. Fond, perhaps.

“Fine. Whatever. I’ll come, but I’m not paying for any of my drinks!”

Louis cheers in triumph just as the elevator doors opened once more on the ninth floor. They all step out, waving to the German lads as they walk in the opposite direction down the corridor (not before Louis persuades them to also join them at the pub).

“Do you guys want to meet in my room at around 5:30ish? Then we can walk down together?” Harry asks as they all wonder down the corridor towards their rooms.

“How much time does that give me to nap?”

“Uh,” Harry drawls while he pulls his iPhone out of his back pocket, notification buzzing wildly as his phone connects to the hotels Wi-Fi. “2 hours.”

“I’ll take what I can get.” Liam says, gripping Sophia’s arm and all but dragging her into their room. Sophia waves them goodbye with her arm not being pulled from it’s socket by her boyfriend.

“Right, I’ll see you all at around 5:30.” Harry turns to open the door to his room but he’s stoped by a firm grip around his bicep.

He turns around to see Louis smirking at him, mischievous sparkle in his eyes. Zayn and Niall pay them no mind as the doors to both of their individual rooms close behind them.

Harry focuses back on Louis’ beaming face and frowns.

“Yes?” he asks curiously, raising a single brow.

Louis winks, releasing his grip on Harry’s arm before stepping backwards, slowly making his way towards his own room, squinted eyes directed at Harry all the while. “I’ll just pretend I didn’t see all those Grindr notifications when you pulled your phone out.”

With that, he turns on his heel and retreats down the hall and into his room, leaving Harry standing there, dumbfounded and with a deep blush rising up his cheeks. He turns his notifications for Grindr off first thing upon entering his room.

***

Harry ends up napping for about an hour, dozing in and out to Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 album, arguably their best album, ‘Rumours’. Fleetwood is one of his favourite artists of all time and he’s long ago figured out that by playing their music while he rests, it ensures he will never fall in _too_ deep of a slumber.

At around 4:45 he decides it’s probably time to get out of bed and wake himself up with a nice, cold shower. Of course, that all goes to shit when he realises that cold showers are the absolute worst and he cranks the hot water tap, the pressure increasing and water heating promptly.

The bathroom is completely steamed up when he remerges from the shower 10 minutes later, his skin flushed red from the heat. He decides to forego a towel and instead opts to free-dry under the ceiling fan in the main part of the room whilst brushing his teeth.

Teeth sufficiently cleaned, mouth minty fresh and face freshly washed, Harry heads back to the bed swiping his phone from the bedside table as he flops onto the mountain of pillows at the head. He opens the mail app on his phone and starts to comprise a new email.

_Mum,_

_First day of the contiki and first full day in Australia was a success! I We did some sight-seeing around Sydney today and everything was just as incredible as I imagined, maybe more so. Bigger than the pictures on my computer screen, that’s for sure. Did you know that the highest point of the Sydney Opera House is 67 meters tall? That’s equivalent to a 22-storie building! Or was it 23-stories? I don’t remember. I’m a bit out of it to be honest, today was exhausting and my body-clock is so incredibly confused but alas! I must push onwards!_

_Our contiki guide is probably the most enthusiastic bloke I’ve ever met but he’s really cool and laid back so I know we’ll get on well. The other travellers on the contiki seem really cool too. I’ve made a little friend group already- Louis, Sophia, Liam, Zayn and Niall. They’re all from England funny enough! Which of course is convenient because they seem like the type of friends I’ll want to stay in touch with so hopefully we’ll be able to catch up and hang out lots once we’re back in dreary old England._

_Speaking of the weather it’s bloody stifling here. I knew it was going to be hot but I don’t think I could even comprehend the extent of it coming from a British winter. I’m currently laying bare under the ceiling fan as I write this, that’s how hot it is. Aside from sweating like you wouldn’t believe, I absolutely adore it here and I’m so exited for the rest of the trip._

_I’m just about to get ready to go out for dinner and drinks with some people from the contiki so sorry to cut this email short but my hair needs sorting out and I refuse leave this hotel and let Australia see me with frizzy locks._

_Love and miss you!_

_H._

He attaches the picture of him in front of the Harbour Bridge and sends the email before forcing himself to get up and get dressed. Despite the weather, Harry opts for a pair of black jeans figuring that the temperature will surely drop down as the sun does (he hopes anyway). He pairs it with one of his favourite button-ups, a vibrant Marc Jacobs number he splurged on as a Christmas present to himself, which he buttons to his sternum and rolls the sleeves a few times. He completes the look with his signature, tan Chelsea boots. A classic Harry Styles look. He feels infinitely more himself in this get-up than he did in his boring white t-shirt and cropped denim number from earlier that day. Alas, a man has to do what a man has to do to avoid dying of heatstroke in the Australian summer and if that means neglecting his beloved shiny, pink YSL boots for a month then so be it.

Once fully dressed, he heads back into the bathroom where he uses his fingers to comb through his tangled mess of hair. Once all the knots are sufficiently detangled, he uses some product to add some volume and ensure the front doesn’t flop down onto his face. Securing a hair tie around his wrist, which he knows he will be thankful for after the heat of a few drinks kicks into the back of his neck, he flicks off the light of the bathroom just in time for a knock to sound through his main door.

Swinging the door open, Harry doesn’t even get a look at the person behind it before dramatically sweeping his arm and bending his knees in curtsy-like manner, bellowing, “Welcome to my casa!”

“Spanish?” Louis tilts his head, amusement unmistakable in the twist of his lips and the subtle scrunch of his nose. “Mate you didn’t even see who was knocking before saying that shit, what if I was hotel staff?” He rakes his eyes up and down Harry’s body. “Nice get-up, by the way.”

Harry takes an exaggerated spin and curtsies, before throwing his head back with the force of his sudden outburst of laughter. He can see out of his periphery that Louis’ eyes linger on his throat as he chuckles along but he chooses not the question it.

“Yes, Spanish. Took a class in high school. That would’ve been embarrassing if was indeed hotel staff.” He smooths his hands down his torso. “And thanks, I would return the compliment but you’re literally wearing a t-shirt and jeans.”

Louis tuts. “Hey, don’t mock the practicality of jeans and a t-shirt, Rapunzel.”

“Rapunzel?” Harry raises his eyebrows.

“Mhm.” Louis reaches out, gently caressing the ends of his curls with the tips of his fingers. “Rapunzel, Rapunzel.”

Harry snorts, shaking his head. “Please don’t call me Rapunzel ever again.”

“Hmm, what about Shaggy?”

“Even worse.”

“Okay, um,” Louis drawled, stroking the stubble from his jaw to his chin thoughtfully. “I’ll have to think up some more. Bear with me.”

“Can’t wait.” Harry quips. He steps aside and motions for Louis to come inside. “Anyway, let’s stop standing in the doorway, shall we?”

They only have to wait a mere five minutes before the rest of the group have joined them and they make their way down the elevator, through the reception and out onto the bustling streets of Sydney. The pub is quaint and has a warm, homey vibe despite being situated in the heart of Australia’s biggest city. Most of the tour group has shown up and they order a round of drinks to begin with, all sitting around a rectangular table and excitedly chatting about the day. Harry himself is sat towards the middle of the table with Louis on his right and Nathan on his left. They order their second round of drinks with their meals, Harry opting for a simple steak and vegetables with homemade gravy.

“Enjoy today?” Nathan directs the question towards Harry and Louis. He leans his elbow on the table, manoeuvring his body to face them.

“Yeah, had a blast.” Harry nods, taking a quick gulp of his beer. “Everyone’s really cool. We’re keen to get out and see more.”

Nathan claps him on the back, smiling wide. “Good to hear, man! Bit different to England, eh?”

“Not so much in here, mate” Harry chuckles at Louis excitedly gesturing around the room. The pub is bustling now, loud chatter bouncing off the walls and blurring into a constant buzz. He’s right though, the pub is not too different to one you’d see back home. “I could definitely get used to this weather, though.”

Nathan grins, big and genuine. “Better start getting used to it now guys, it’s only getting hotter from here. I had a group from Scotland at the end of last year and a couple of them ended up in hospital with heat stroke. You gotta be careful, you’ve come from Winter into the height of a Summer you’re not used to.”

“For sure.” Harry nods along seriously.  He motions back and forth between himself and Louis, “We were having tops of 7 degrees last week back home.”

Nathan seems to visibly shudder at the thought. He motions between Louis and Harry and then to Niall, Zayn, Liam and Sophia, catching their attention as well, before clarifying, “You lot didn’t come here together, right? You booked separately from what I remember.”

Zayn wraps his arms around Niall and Sophia on either side of him, gesturing to Liam with the hand over Sophia’s shoulders. “Us four are together and we met Louis and Harry today. They came separate from each other too.” Unwrapping his arms from Sophia and Niall, Zayn tacks on with a chuckle, “We’re all just escaping the cold, I think.”

“Oh!” Nathan eyebrows raise in surprise as he turns his attention back to Louis and Harry. “I thought you two had come together, my bad. Too many people to keep up with,” he shakes his head on a laugh.

“Don’t worry man!” Niall intervenes from across the table, “Sophia thought they were a couple. Said it to their faces, it was hilarious.” Sophia groans, her blush from earlier slowly creeping back into her cheeks. “You know though, I’m not entirely convinced they didn’t come together, to be honest.”

Louis snorts, “What? Why?”

Niall holds his hands up in defence, eyebrows raised playfully. “You’re just very buddy, buddy is all. Maybe you two already knew each other,” Niall swirls his index finger around the lip of his glass as he cocks his head, “maybe not.”

“Maybe you’re an idiot,” Louis mocks, mirroring Niall’s head tilt and thoughtful glass stroking, “maybe not.”

This earns him the middle finger from Niall only making Harry laugh louder at the exchange.

The food arrives shortly after and more drinks are ordered. The conversation around the table becomes gradually more animated as the empty glasses begin to stack up and the food is polished off. Nathan initiates an enthusiast toast and they all raise their alcoholic beverages to “exciting adventures and new friends”.

He learns a bit more about Niall, Liam, Sophia and Zayn—they all currently live in London where they became friends back in Uni, Liam and Sophia recently moving into a place together whereas Niall and Zayn have been living together since bunking together in student accommodation in their first year of Uni. Upon finishing up their degrees and establishing themselves in their workplaces well enough to take leave, they all decided now was the perfect time for a holiday. Niall apparently has family living in Melbourne and had been once before when he was in primary school so when trying to decide on a destination for their getaway, he was set on Australia and it didn’t take much convincing for the rest to agree.

Harry tells them about his travel adventures over the last six months. There was Spain, Morocco, and Portugal with his childhood friends Ed and Will, then Paris with his sister and most recently, the thirteen country European circuit with his four closest friends from Uni, Nick, Naomi, Erin and Sam.

He’s been steadily drinking all night, the warmth in his belly and flush to his cheeks nice. He’s stuck to beer to be safe, not wanting to risk a hangover by jumping on the spirits when they had to up early for a few hours of travel tomorrow morning. True to his word, Liam was adamant about not paying for any of his own drinks yet somehow, he seemed to have drunk the most, downing pint after pint. During the day he was calm and soft-spoken, now he is rowdy, gesticulating wildly as he obnoxiously laughs his way through the story of how him and Sophia met for the second time that night. About halfway through, he stops talking abruptly as his eyes distractedly catch on Harry’s shirt.

“Are those birds on your shirt?”

Harry looks down, though he already knows the answer. “Uh, yeah.”

Liam starts giggling, pointing to the shirt like it’s the funniest thing in the world. “There’s bloody birds on his shirt!” He excitedly nudges Sophia with his elbow. “It’s like an embarrassing dad shirt! Wait!” He gasps, “Are we doing dress-ups? Why didn’t you tell me?” Liam’s animated tone suddenly becomes sombre. Pouting, he repeats, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Harry frowns, though there is an amused tilt to his lips. “These are my normal clothes.”

This makes Liam cackle even louder, head thrown back as they all watch on amused—even as the butt of the joke, Harry can’t say that he isn’t entertained by Liam’s obvious lack of filter when intoxicated. And boy is he intoxicated. Harry feels a hand land on his knee and turns to Louis to see him already looking back at him with a silly smirk on his lips.

“I think you look dazzling, darling.” Louis declares theatrically. The hand on Harry’s knee retreats as Louis places it over his own heart. “As a man whose entire wardrobe consists of black jeans, sweats and a selection of monochromatic t-shirts, I can appreciate a man who can dress himself.”

Harry mock swoons dramatically. “A man after my own heart.”

***

When they arrive back at the hotel Harry’s still feeling a nice, little buzz from the few beers he’d had at the pub. The temperature outside has cooled down substantially and a light breeze helps to counteract the lingering humidity in the air. Everyone hovers around the reception for a while, chatter dwindling as they all slowly retire for the night until its just Louis and Harry lingering by the elevators.  

“And then there were two.” Louis turns to him with raised eyebrows as the doors shut with the last of their fellow travellers. “You tired?”

“Not really.” He is but he’d much rather be with Louis for a bit longer. But he’s too buzzed to sleep right now anyway.

“Want to hang out for a bit?” Louis asks nodding his head towards the door which leads to the private hotel patio. Harry nods and Louis leads him out to settle down in two of the arranged deck chairs. “I’m not usually one to chill out straight away after a night out. Not that that was too wild of a night out.”

“Party boy then?” Harry teases.

Louis’ responding smirk says it all. “How old are you, Harry?”

“22. 23 next month.”

“23. Okay, with my 2 extra years of life experience I’m officially qualified to give you the best advice you will ever receive. You ready?” Louis says, scooting to the edge of his seat and initiating enough eye contact for Harry’s cheeks to heat up involuntarily under the attention. He nods anyway and prays to God the light is dim enough for his rosy cheeks to not be visible to Louis.

“Always play twice as hard as you work.” Louis winks with a smirk as he settles back into his seat.

Harry rolls his eyes. “So, in other words, slack off? Thanks for the advice.”

“No. Of course not, Harry,” Louis says sternly, voice very serious. “Always work hard, just party even harder. It’s the key to happiness, you heard it from me first.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

It’s quiet after then, but not uncomfortably so. The busy hustle of the city streets, car tires crunching on gravel, and the pleasant buzz of vast Australian wildlife play as background noise as they sit together in the slightly rusted outdoor chairs on the hotel patio. Harry feels comfortable, the temperature dropping quite substantially after the suns decent. The button-up and jeans, which made him feel a bit suffocated in the stuffy pub, now feel perfect in the pleasant night air of Sydney.  

Harry speaks up after some time. “So, why Australia?”

“Why not?” Louis quips with a raise of a perfectly curved brow.

“I was being serious.” Harry rolls his eyes. “Don’t be a smart arse.”

“I don’t know.” Louis relents, though it sounds dismissive. “What about you? What’s a fresh out of uni, 22-year-old bloke’s motive for coming to Australia? By himself, nonetheless.”

 Unlike Louis, Harry very much knows why he chose to travel to Australia. This trip has been planned and re-planned so many times since he was just 16-years-old that he’s had enough time to think about where exactly his interest in Australia lies.

“It’s just something about how far away it is from England is just appealing to me. Like, you genuinely feel far away from home right now, yeah? I just - I feel like some of the places that I’ve been to in Europe make you still feel like you’re in England. Not anything to do with the cultures or anything, it’s just like close by? I just feel like I knew what to expect when going to them countries, most of my friends had travelled to them with their families and - I don’t know. Australia is just so incredibly different from home, right? If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been confused by the protocol of different situations we were in today, I would have like all the stupid different coloured notes.” Louis snorts. “I think that’s why I feel far away. At least that’s my theory.”

When Harry looks up from where he was fiddling with the ring on the middle finger of his left hand it’s to see Louis with a very fascinated expression on his face. Like he was genuinely listening to what Harry had to say and, what’s more, is that he also looked genuinely interested.

“You’re very smart, you know?”

“Thankyou,” Harry laughs, not expecting Louis to say that but excepting the compliment, nonetheless. “You are too. I think I would’ve been a little bit lost without you today, you know?”

It’s true. As much as Harry thought he was ready to conquer a foreign country by himself, actually being here has made him realise that maybe a little help is nice, figuring things out with someone in the same boat is nice. He may or may not have been acting a bit like a puppy following their owner around all day.

“Sorry if I was annoying today. I realise you travelled here on your own and you might want to just explore on your own a bit so if that’s the case just tell me to fuck off and I will. I won’t be offended, I promise. I don’t mean to—”

Louis scoffs, interrupting him before he can say any more. “Are you kidding me? I’m awful at being alone. I don’t think I would survive. I think we’re quite similar. Always need to be around people, yeah?”

Louis has fully turned in his seat now, one leg pulled up underneath his bum. Harry mirrors his position.

“Yeah,” Harry agrees. “I don’t like being on my own, either.”

“Okay, let’s do Australia together then, yeah? Me and you, Louis and Harry take on Australia 2k17.”

“2k17?” Harry snorts. “I thought you were cool and then you come out and say that.”

Louis rolls his eyes, the colour of his irises muted by the dim lighting. “You get the gist. We both get someone to share all this with and someone to talk to when we need someone to talk to. I look out for you, you look out for me. We make the most out of this trip together. You in?”

“I like that, yeah.” Harry nods. He has turns away from Louis to hide his pleased smile, clamping his teeth down on his bottom lip to re-collect himself. It’s in vain though—when he turns back, Louis is beaming back at him with the brightest, unabashed smile. It’s so genuine and carefree, not at all weighed down by the exhaustion clear in his eyes.

Louis slips back in his chair, head resting against the top of the back rest with his face angled towards the city sky. “It’s settled then. You’re officially stuck with me, no turning back now.”

Harry simply hums in reply.

“You asked before about why I was here. In Australia.” Louis states hesitantly, clearly forcing the words out. Harry wants to tell him, _it’s okay, you don’t have to elaborate, I was just making conversation_ but he’s also intrigued and words remain lodged in his throat until Louis speaks again. “The answer is because of my sister.”

Harry let’s the words sit in the night air for a while until it is clear that Louis does not plan to elaborate on them. He isn’t sure if Louis is waiting to be prompted to continue or if he simply wants to leave it at that, not a reason but a person behind the reason.

“What?” Harry asks dumbly.

“You asked why Australia. The answer is because of my sister.”

“Oh?” Harry voice comes out slightly higher in pitch in his confusion. Again, Louis doesn’t look like he’s going to elaborate so Harry gently prompts him, awkwardly asking, “Has your sister been to Australia before?”

Louis releases a laugh at that, although it’s humourless and seemingly forced, like Louis is as uncomfortable having this conversation as his withdrawn body language suggests. His dramatic change in demeanour is starling. He eventually answers with a tight smile. “No. She never will either.”

“Oh, um— “

“My sister, her name is Charlotte, she’s 18 now. A couple years ago when she was 16 she and her boyfriend at the time were in a car crash. It, um, wasn’t too kind to her. She damaged her upper spinal cord which means she now has no motor or sensory function from her head down.” Louis is speaking quickly, words tumbling out like they’re well-practised. “She’s a quadriplegic, needs around the clock care. She actually goes to the school I teach at, she’s- uh, what pushed me towards that pathway, actually. She is so bright, had such an amazing future lined up and now that’s all been taken away from her just like that.” Louis presses his lips together tightly as he pauses. Harry scoots his chair closer to Louis’, placing a comforting hand on his thigh.

“A distracted driving running through a red light and her life is completely changed forever.” Louis sighs. It’s shaky and Harry’s heart clenches at the sound. The sound of emotional pain of a man who he met that very same day yet he feels like he’s known for much longer. “So, you ask why Australia? My sister inspired me to, you know, do the things I want to do, take chances because life really is unpredictable. You can spend your whole life saying, ‘ _I’m going to do this, I’m going to do that’_ but eventually it’ll be too late.”

Harry nods, not totally sure how respond. He’s slightly taken aback by the story and the passion behind Louis’ words. He eventually blurts out the thought at the forefront of his mind. “That’s really inspiring.”

Louis scratches the back of his head, chuckling to himself uncomfortably. “Eh. I’d probably say more selfish than inspiring. It’s the cold hard truth though. She’s the inspiring one in all this, I’m just learning from it and reaping the benefits of a shitty situation.”

“I don’t think that’s true. I think you know that’s not true.” Harry states firmly. “I know I’ve only known you for a day but for what its worth I think you’re a really good person. I can tell your heart is in the right place.”

Louis doesn’t reply straight away so Harry turns his head towards him. Louis’ gaze is directed towards the skyline, face glowing as the lights of the busy city reflect onto his skin. He’s objectively very beautiful.

Louis redirects his gaze towards him, apparently sensing Harry’s gaze on the side of his face. “Thankyou. I appreciate that. I would definitely say the same applies for you.”

“What’s she like?” Harry queries, earning a confused head tilt from Louis. “Charlotte,” he clarifies.

Louis’ face lights up, his smile pleased. He obviously really, deeply cares for his sister which Harry can definitely relate to. It’s nice to see.

“She’s the coolest chick you’ll ever meet. Before,” Louis pauses, “before the accident, she used to dress like a rock star, lots of leather and all that. She was really good at make-up too, had so much of the stuff and she was just like - brilliant, so creative. She has an Instagram for her make-up and she has like 40,000 followers or something ridiculous.”

Harry’s eyes bulge slightly. “Wow, impressive. She must be talented.”

“Yeah, she definitely was,” he smiles sadly and Harry’s heart clenches at Louis’ use of the word _was_. Louis continues before he can dwell on it. “She used to do outrageous stuff to her hair too. Had super long, blonde hair and she’d dye it all these crazy colours. One time we were at the shops together—I’m pretty sure it was bright pink at this point—and this batty, old woman was staring at her shaking her head and Charlotte just about chased her out into the car park, biting her ear off about self-expression and art and not taking yourself too seriously. I was so proud of her for sticking up for herself and not being, I don’t know. _Apologetic_ for being herself, you know?”

“Yeah,” Harry smiles. “She sounds cool. Bet she has lots of friends.”

Louis nods, his responding smile beaming with pride. “Oh, yeah, tonnes. I think when something terrible happens to you, like what happened to her, it really shows you who your real friends are and who’s really going to be there for you to help pick up the pieces. The support she got was just incredible. Still is.”

“What happened to her boyfriend?” Harry enquires hesitantly. “Was he okay?”

“Yeah, he was lucky, made it without any long-term damage. Him and Charlotte are still together actually, he’s a great guy and he’s been a lot of help. He actually moved in with me mum to help care for her, he loves her a lot. It’s really beautiful, he makes her so happy and we’re all so grateful for him.”

Harry smiles. “Love is a powerful thing. It’s nice to know it’s out there.”

Louis stands from his chair very suddenly and Harry is both confused and concerned until he says, “Hang on a second! What does that sign say?”

“What sign?” Harry asks, swivelling his bum around to where Louis’ eyes are directed. The abrupt conversation switch has left him extremely lost.

“The one with the floors. It says ‘Floor 14- Roof: Pool’”

“Yeah? And…”

Louis’ head whips towards him. “You knew there was a pool here!?”

“Well, yeah. It was on the itinerary.” He shrugs.

“And you didn’t tell me?”

“What?” Harry’s head is spinning. “I assumed you read the itinerary!”

Louis’ face is deadly serious when he says, “Harry, we have to go swimming.”

Harry chuckles. “I would love to go swimming with you but we leave tomorrow morning. We don’t really have any time.”

“No Harry. We’re going swimming. Right now.” Louis is gesturing wildly and Harry can’t help but be amused at his enthusiasm.

“No we’re not. You realise hotel pools close right? It’s late.”

“Even more the adventure!” Louis just about shouts. He’s glad Louis is back to his cheerful self Harry was just getting accustomed to.

Harry throws his head back laughing. “You’re such a child”

“Didn’t we just have a deep discussion about making the most out of this trip? Louis and Harry 2k17, ring any bells?”

Harry holds his hands up in defence, chuckles still pushing past his lips as he says, “I didn’t agree to break any rules!”

“Oh come on, it’s very minor rule breaking. It’s like chucking an apple core on the ground, like yeah it’s _technically_ littering, which is _technically_ illegal but no one really cares, do they?”

“What about the people who have to pick up your rubbish because you were too lazy to just put it in a bin? They care.”

Louis throws his hands up. “You’re thinking about it too literally! We’re not going to leave any bloody apple cores in the pool. Come on, get up, we’re going swimming.”

“Fine,” Harry huffs. He rises from his chair making his way back into the building, Louis following close behind, cheering in triumph. “But.” Harry stops abruptly, turning back to face Louis. “If we get caught, you’re doing the explaining and I’m pleading my innocence.”

“Me speak no English?” Louis quips with an outrageously over exaggerated French accent. It’s absolutely ridiculous and it makes Harry laugh far too loudly, the sound bouncing off the tiled walls of the quiet reception. One of those head thrown back, honking kind of laughs.

Clicking the button for the elevator, he says, “Come on, if we’re doing this, were doing it now. We still need to be up early tomorrow.”

They elevator doors open with a _ding_ and they step in. Harry is about to hit the level nine button to their rooms before Louis smacks his hand away pushing the one for the fourteenth floor instead.

“Uh, Louis? We need to get changed first. And get towels.”

Louis waves him off. “Nah we don’t.”

“Uh- “

“No one else is going to be up there, just wear your pants and then - oh shit, unless you’re not wearing pants? We can just - “

Harry eyes widen, cheeks heating up. “No, shit, no. I’m wearing pants. Okay, pants it is.”

The elevator doors open and as Louis steps out, Harry close behind, he eyes Harry over his shoulder before muttering, “Hope they’re white.”

With a wink, he turns back around and Harry doesn’t know what to make of Louis’ blatant flirting. He’s aware it’s probably just playful and don’t get him wrong, Harry loves some light-hearted flirting between friends. He loves to be teased and loves to tease back but there’s just something about Louis that leaves him blushing and fish-mouthing for a speedy quip.

He’s pulled from his thoughts by Louis groaning loudly as a jiggles the handle of the obviously locked door which reads _POOL_ across the face.

“’S locked.”

Harry strides up next to him, pulling his room card from his pocket and tapping it on the touch panel right beside the handle. There is an audible click and Harry reaches over and pulls the handle of, the now unlocked, door open.

Louis whistles lowly, patting Harry cheek twice with his palm before pulling away. “Wow. You _are_ well travelled, aren’t you?”

Harry is startled when Louis suddenly rips off his shirt, chucking it carelessly onto a bench which outlines the entire perimeter of the room. Just as quickly, he kicks his shoes off and pops the button of his jeans, pulling his legs free from the denim before tossing them in the same direction as his shirt. He turns to Harry with raised eyebrows and hands planted firmly against his hips, pointedly raking his eyes over Harry’s completed clothed body as he stands proudly in just a pair of tight, red pants. Harry makes an effort to keep his eyes focused on his face rather than the litter of black ink splashed across the golden skin of his chest, underlined by a dark patch of coarse hair.

“Care to join me?”

Harry shakes himself out of his little reverie before turning around and stripping off, until he too is down to his pants. God, he feels like a school boy with a crush. He’s just _intrigued_ by Louis, feels like he’s never met anyone like him before. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s quite easy on the eye.

Harry whips around at the loud splash from behind him in time to see Louis submerging from beneath the water, bubbles rippling around him as water spews over the pools edge. His hair is matted to his head and in front of his eyes as he beams up at Harry and coaxes him to join. Harry dips his toe in the water to gage the temperature before hopping onto the first little step at the front of the pool. He makes his way down the steps until he’s immersed in waist deep water, watching as Louis floats on his back, water droplets rolling off his golden skin and darkening his caramel-coloured hair. Harry frowns down at his own pale chest, smoothing his hands over the tattooed skin.

When Louis pops back up, Harry asks, “How are you so bloody tanned? You look like you’ve already had your holiday.”

Louis shrugs, reaching out to grab Harry’s hand to pull him down the last step and into the deepest end of the pool. The water reaches to around his chest and Harry watches as it pools in the deep hollows of Louis’ collarbones. “Just me natural skin colour.”

Then Louis’ hands are on his shoulder and with one last mischievous grin, he’s being thrust under the chlorinated water. Having not taken a suffice breath, he re-emerges from the water spluttering. Once he evens his breathing, he cups both of his hands under the water and dumps it over the top of Louis’ head. The affronted noise he makes as he pushes his flattened hair off his forehead makes Harry cackle.

“Oh no you didn’t.” Louis shakes his head, staring him down with a look in his eye that reads _this means war._

Next thing Harry knows, Louis arms are around his waist and he’s being lifted off his feet and dropped into the water. When he regains his footing, he strides forwards to tackle Louis which he returns with the same vigour. Their skin is slippery as they wrestle one another, water splashing around them as they both giggle directly in each other’s faces. Eventually Harry manages to pick Louis up for enough time that when he struggles out of his grip a few seconds later, he is already losing his footing and slipping underneath the water.

“You look pretty pleased with yourself, Baby Tarzan.” Louis coughs as he remerges from the water, shaking water droplets from his hair. Harry groans aloud at the nickname. He supposes he should get used to them since it looks like they’re not going to stop. He swims over to the steps, sitting on the one which makes the water settle around his shoulders. Harry follows, sitting next to him.

“You tired?”

Harry nods, rubbing his eye with the back of his hand. “Yeah. Think we should probably get to bed soon.”

They really should be getting to bed. It’s probably after midnight at this point yet neither of them make a move.  Harry’s skimming his hands over the surface of the water when he feels Louis’ eyes on the side of his head, turning his own to meet his gaze.

“What?” Harry laughs slightly self-consciously when Louis just continues to stare at him with a dopey smile poised on his lips.

“Nothing.” Louis’ smile brightens. “I’m glad I’ve met you, is all. I think we’re going to have fun this trip.”

Harry gets that; feels the exact same way. Despite only knowing him for a day, he already feels so comfortable around Louis. They just _click_. That’s the only way Harry can describe it. _They just click._

“I’m glad you’re here too.”

***

Back in his room, rinsed of the lingering chlorine smell and teeth brushed, Harry slips into bed. He sets his alarm for 5:30am and for once he finds himself not dreading the unpleasant Marimba chime.


	2. Blue Mountains, Coffs Harbour

**CONTIKI DAY 2**

The morning of the trip to the Blue Mountain, the contiki group were scheduled to leave the hotel in Sydney at 6:30am. Breakfast was included and was timetabled to be held from 6am in the hotels dining hall.

When Harry’s alarm (fucking Marimba) sounded at 5:30am he had to physically fight against the overwhelming urge to silence it, roll over and fall back to sleep, snuggled up in the soft hotel sheets. _Hotel sheets…_

Slightly disorientated and taking two snooze cycles of his alarm to fully recall where he was, he groggily rolled out of bed and into the shower.

It was just past 6am when Harry entered the dinning hall to about half of the contiki group. Most of the group were hovering around the buffet style bench covered by an array of different breakfast foods on the far end of the room, while a few others were already seated on white-clothed tables in the centre of the hall with plates of food in front of them. The conversation in the room was quite enthusiastic for this time of the morning which, to someone who has spent the last four years of his life at University, was new and quite refreshing.

Harry couldn’t see Louis, Liam, Zayn, Niall or Sophia anywhere in the space so he made a direct beeline to the beverage table, making himself an English Breakfast tea with a splash of milk and one sugar. He carefully carried the mug to an empty table off to the side of the hall, sitting down and cautiously sipping his steaming tea as he awaited company for breakfast. Niall and Zayn were the first to arrive, looking bleary eyed and slightly lethargic in their movements, but smiley and content all the while. Louis was next, walking right past them and making a direct path towards the beverage table. Once his tea is made, he carefully pads towards the table, cautious that none of the boiling liquid splashes over the rim of his mug.

“Morning lads.” Louis’ voice is somewhat gruffer than it was yesterday, more subdued, most likely due to the early hour. He raises his mug faintly. “Need one of these before I can even think about functioning this early in the morning.”

Harry lifts his own mug in a toast-like manner. “I feel you.”

As Louis sits next to Harry, his eyes flit to Zayn and Niall on the opposite side of the table and then back to Harry. He raises his eyebrows. “No Liam this fine morning? Have a bit too much to drink last night, ya reckon?”

Zayn rolls his eyes fondly. To be fair, he doesn’t look too crash hot either, hoodie pulled up over his head and face contorting into a grimace every few seconds at the loud clatter of plates and the scrape of cutlery against porcelain. At least he’s made it to breakfast though. Harry didn’t even take any notice of how much anyone else was drinking last night but with one quick scan of the room, he concludes that most drunk substantially more than himself. Perhaps it all simply comes down to the potent combination of alcohol the night before and an early wakeup call today.

“He’s never been a big drinker. Can’t handle it clearly.”

Niall cackles loud and abruptly at this, Zayn groaning at the volume as he rubs at his temples.

“Clearly neither can you mate!” He rips Zayn’s hoodie off the back of his head, giving his hair a ruffle. Zayn simply grunts, smoothing his hair out with his hands before pulling his hood back up and resting his head on the table. “Hopeless. Both of ya.”

Zayn doesn’t dispute it, simply mumbles petulantly, “’S too early.”

After another minute of waiting with still no sign of Liam and Sophia, the four decide to organise themselves some breakfast. It looks delicious and Harry wishes he could take advantage of the free spread but he’s never really been the biggest morning eater so he settles on a bowl of cereal and a piece of toast. Amongst the little sachets of spreads sits vegemite and Harry decides to give it a go, spreading a thin layer onto his toast. It’s alright, definitely not as disgusting as everyone non-Australian has made it out to be, more like a really intense version of Marmite. Niall doesn’t seem to agree, overdramatically spitting his half-chewed bite into his hand before dumping the spit-soggy ball of dough back on his plate with a grimace.

They’re just finishing up with their food when Liam and Sophia stumble in, hand in hand. On closer inspection, Sophia actually seems to be _dragging_ Liam in by the hand rather than actually holding it.

“Look what the cat dragged in,” Niall calls out around his mouthful of food and if Harry wasn’t already so endeared by him, he’d unquestionably be disgusted by his obvious lack of table manners.

“Had to force him to come down,” Sophia rolls her eyes. She leads him like a child towards the seat next to Harry’s before letting go of his hand before dumping her phone and room key on the table in front of him. “I wasn’t about to bloody miss breakfast because my stupid boyfriend doesn’t know how to control himself.”

With that, she’s gone, one beat away from being considering running towards the buffet.

***

Humans are creatures of habit so it’s no surprise that when they all amble back onto the van just a few minutes past 6:30 that they all quietly seat themselves in the same spots that they had taken the previous day. Just like that, Harry realises, an unspoken seating arrangement is born. Of course, Harry has nothing to complain about with Louis by his side, Liam and Sophia in the two seats right in front and Zayn and Niall directly across the aisle. 

“Right.” Nathan declares, projecting his voice to capture everyone’s attention. He’s standing up the front of the bus next to Shaun in the driver’s seat where he’s just finished up the head count. The chatter around the bus ceases as he continues, “Everyone’s here so we can get going! Should only be about a 2-hour journey give or take, depending on the traffic getting out of the city.” He flips the pair of sunglasses from the top of his head onto his face. He’s just bending into his seat when he suddenly turns back to the group, holding up one finger. “Oh! One more thing, fair warning to anyone who gets car sick, once we get closer the roads get pretty windy so be prepared for that.”

Liam groans.

***

Ten minutes into the drive, Louis is already sound asleep with his head lulled against Harry’s shoulder. It’s not the most comfortable position on Harry’s part, his body stiff so as not to jostle him, but he doesn’t have it in him to disturb Louis’ rest by moving. He just looks so peaceful, is all. His fringe is limp, falling in a swoop across his forehead with the ends of it hitting the tops of his cheekbones where his eyelashes are fanned out. Harry didn’t realise how long they were before but seeing them up close like this he can really admire how thick and full and lovely they are.

“You too are so cute.” Harry turns his head, careful to keep his shoulders square to the front, to see both Niall and Zayn’s bodies twisted sideways in their seats and grinning towards him and Louis.

“They are cute, aren’t they?” Zayn nods seriously at Niall.

Niall cocks his head, squinting his eyes at him. “A little too cute, don’t you think?”

This prompts a sudden laugh out of Harry. “What?”

“You both just look very cosy there, is all.” Niall raises his eyebrows. Zayn is smirking behind him, gaze also projected towards Harry. Niall’s tone is sarcastic when he continues, “Oh, and you just met yesterday! How wonderful!”

Harry frowns, a confused yet amused tilt to his lips. “Uh. Yeah. So?”

“Oh. Nothing. Nothing.” Niall holds his hands up in defence. He settles back into his seat, facing forwards. He slides the pair of Ray-Ban’s atop his head onto his eyes before cocking his head towards Harry. “Nothing,” he repeats in a high-pitch, sing-song kind of way. 

“Okay?” Harry chuckles, turning his head forwards and settling back into his seat, Louis remaining soundly sleeping against his shoulder all the while.

The van is fairly quiet this morning, most likely due to the early hour. The radio hums quietly in the background as about half of the travellers doze in their seats. Those who are not sleeping are mostly keeping to themselves, earbuds in or gazing out the window as the city sweeps by and gradually fades from the heavy bustle of the city to unoccupied, thick bushland, inhabitants few and far between. There’s a good five minutes of excitement when one of the Japanese girls spots a mob of Kangaroos hanging out on a grass field by the side of the road, but aside from that the ride is fairly subdued and uneventful.

About 45 minutes in, Harry’s lids grow heavy and he finds himself succumbing to his lingering jetlag as Louis’ warm, even breaths against his neck lull him to sleep.

***

The Blue Mountains are beautiful, even from ground level. The mountainous range sweeps across the sandstone plateau that stretches far and wide. The flawlessly blue sky proves the perfect backdrop for the vast greenery, the rugged tablelands shining like a star on a clear, dark night. _This_ is what Harry always imagined Australia to be like.

Warm, clean air filling his lungs, gazing out into miles of untouched land, thriving fauna and flora bursting around him, comfortable in its natural beauty. He knows his phone camera won’t do it justice but he takes multiple snaps anyway.

The whole Contiki group are all huddled around, preparing to begin their guided hike as included in the itinerary. They’re currently out the front of a little demountable office as they wait for Nathan to finish up the paperwork inside with the tour company before an experienced guide will take them on the two-hour trek. After the hike, they would be treated to a barbeque lunch along with some traditional Australian bush tucker as included in the tour.

“Good morning everyone!” A new voice boomed. The many conversations soon hushed to nothing as everyone’s attention diverted to the source of the voice. A well-muscled, sun kissed man stood before them, grinning from ear to ear as he took in each individual face before him.

“Well hello there,” Harry muttered under his breath, leaning into Louis side so that he would hear. The tour guide is _hot_ , is the thing. Louis seemed to think so too, nudging Harry back and raising his eyebrows appreciatively.

“Ah, always feel like such a school teacher when I do that! 9-year-old me would be stoked!” Hot tour guide continued, “Anyway, my name is Ben and I’ll be taking you lot on the hike today and hopefully be able to teach you a thing or two about the beautiful mountains while I show you around some of my favourite spots.”

Ben scrunches his brows while doing a head count, two fingers raised as he mentally pairs everyone off. “Okay, if you could all get yourself into partners, that would be great. It is important that you stick with your pair throughout the entire hike so that no one gets lost on their own and everyone is accounted for. It seems like we have an odd number though, so one of you will have to partner up with me and - “

Harry, every helpful, cuts him off before he can finish his sentence, “I’ll go with you.”

Louis snorts by his side. “Wow. Very subtle, Harry.”

Harry childishly sticks his tongue before sauntering over to Ben, swaying his hips exaggeratedly just to make Louis laugh. He succeeds, peering over his shoulder to see Louis shaking his head at Harry, eyes reduced to happy slits as he cackles.

The rest of the group sort themselves into pairs and then suddenly Ben is taking off down the track. Harry stumbles behind him, turning and walking backwards to face the group behind Ben’s back, over exaggerating thumbing towards him before mock fanning himself with his hand.  He receives a few appreciative snickers, a couple of the American girls widening their eyes and mimicking Harry’s fanning motions back to him approvingly. He is still walking backwards when he stumbled over a rock, merely avoiding falling flat on his arse before turning back around. He is already steadied with his eyes and body facing forwards when he feels a warm hand on the small of his back.

Louis voice is smooth, right by his ear, “Better catch up to your partner, Bambi.”

***

“Have you guys heard of all the creepy ghost stories about this place?”

They’ve just returned from their hike and to their accommodation for the night, a cosy cluster of cabin like rooms in town, each housing six to eight people. Harry, Louis, Sophia, Liam, Niall and Zayn managed to snag one just for themselves and they’re now all lounging on their claimed bunks and chatting idly.  

Harry sits up at Niall’s question, leaning his back against the wall of his claimed top bunk and wrapping his arms around his knees. “Creepy ghost stories?” he questions, intrigued.

“Yeah.” Niall sits up too. He’s in the top bunk directly across from his and he mirrors Harry’s position against the wall. “There’s heaps of stories. Urban legends about ghosts and mystical creatures and things that haunt the Blue Mountains. They even have places that do like ghost tours at night and stuff. It’s a thing.”

“That’s sick.” Louis chimes in from the bunk below Harry’s.

Harry listens to Niall recall some of the stories as he scrolls through his phone’s camera roll, perusing through the pictures he captured today on the hike. Harry has always loved hiking, even back home he often finds himself actively searching for new places to explore, but especially throughout his many travels over the past year he has become particularly fond of the activity. He’s tremendously lucky to have been witness to so many beautiful sights in his time and is thankful that he’s yet to grow used to experiencing such. Some of the views today absolutely took his breath away.

Harry zooms in one particular picture as Niall goes on one rather enthusiast telling of a cemetery in town that is supposedly the spookiest spot of all. In the picture, they had stopped at a particularly mesmerising lookout, the mountainous land seemingly endless, stretching as far as he can see, flourishing foliage filling everyone square inch, following every bump and curve of the land. There was a waterfall directly adjacent too, trickling water in a steady stream, glistening in the sunlight as it pooled at the bottom of the stream. None of that draws his eye now though, it’s Louis in the very corner of the picture, poking his head into the frame with a big thumbs up and wild grin. Biting his lip to suppress his smile, Harry favourites the picture deciding that he’ll send it to his mum and Gemma once he has Wi-Fi.  

“Up for it, Harry?”

Harry drops his phone onto the bed, glancing up to see five pairs of questioning eyes on him. He shakes himself out of his little reverie. “Hm? What?”

“We’re going to go check out that creepy cemetery tonight.” Sophia explains from the bunk her and Liam are cuddled up on. “You up for it?”

He catches one glance at Louis watching him with a single cocked brow before he finds himself saying, “Sure. I’m up for it.”

Harry did make a promise to Louis just last night about making the most of this trip, after all. There’s no way he could say no and break the pact.

***

Harley Vale cemetery is hands down the creepiest place Harry has ever ventured. There is a full moon over head casting an eerie, blue-grey light between scattering of twiggy tree branches. The grounds are completely deserted, the soft patter of their footsteps in the over-grown grass and the wind whooshing past them and whipping around the trees the only sounds in the quiet night.

They’d had dinner with the contiki group before heading off down the main road, further into town. They stopped by a charming, little antique shop run by an elderly man to ask for directions to the cemetery. He said that he didn’t believe much of the stories but he definitely wouldn’t be taking his chances. Regardless, he had told them to keep an eye out for Thomas the Coalminer who supposedly haunts the grounds and has a knack for strangling strangers. As lovely as he sounds, Harry would rather not run into him thank you very much.

“This is sketchy,” Liam frets, wrapping a protective arm around Sophia while his eyes flit around the cemetery. “Do you reckon we’re even allowed to be in here at night?”

Louis waves him off. “Who cares. We’re tourists, we can just play the stupid card.”

“That’s what I’m worried about! I don’t want to be locked up in a foreign country!” Liam stresses though he makes no move to turn around, continuing to walk further into the grounds.

Louis snorts. “We’re not going to be arrested.” He turns to Sophia before asking, “Is he always this much of a worrywart?”

Sophia doesn’t get a chance to answer before Liam is pushing Louis playfully with one hand in the centre of his chest. “Fuck off, Louis.”

“Think we’re just going to have to load you up with alcohol every day. Have to say Liam, you were much more fun when you were pissed. And a lot quieter this morning when you were hung over.” Louis nudges him with his elbow, winking as he says, “Win, win.”

Suddenly, there is a loud _snap_ from just over to their right by some thick shrubbery and Harry nearly jumps out of his skin at the noise. Louis jerks back too, gripping onto Harry’s forearm with a vice-like hold, fingertips pressing into the inside of his elbow. “Fuck!”

“Fuck this shit,” Zayn mutters, turning around and walking briskly towards the gates.

There are teasing words being thrown at him for giving into his fear, yet no one protests and everyone is close behind as they follow him out of the cemetery. Good riddens, Harry thinks. This place is giving him bad vibes. What a failed adventure.

It’s about a ten minute walk back to the cabins and somehow Louis and Harry end up a good hundred metres behind Liam, Sophia, Niall and Zayn, dawdling together and talking about pointless things.

“You were _so_ scared!” Harry exclaims, throwing his head back with laughter at Louis claim that the cemetery was, quote, _‘not spooky at all’_. “You almost fucking cut off my circulation when you grabbed my arm! You were scared!”

“I wasn’t scared,” Louis scoffs, though he’s definitely biting his lip to suppress a telling smile. It makes Harry laugh even harder. “I was clearly trying to protect you. Making sure you were alright, obviously.”

“Bullshit!” Harry just about shouts. He wipes his laughter induced tears with the back of his hand as he evens his breathing. They’re walking so close that their shoulders are bumping together. “You were just using me to shield yourself.”

Louis looks offended by the suggestion, eyes widening as he dramatically covers his heart with one hand. “How very dare you suggest that my motives were anything but pure. I was being heroic, Goldilocks.”

“Stop with the nicknames!” Harry groans. He nudges Louis with his shoulder as they continue to walk, though it’s gentle and Louis only staggers out of line very slightly. “I have brown hair. That one doesn’t even make sense.” 

“True. But you’re both cute.”

Harry rolls his eyes, scrunching his nose as he wills the blush he can feel blooming on his cheeks to fade away. He realises that Sophia, Liam, Niall and Zayn are no longer visible, even in the distance, and wonders when he and Louis got so deep into their own little world that they didn’t notice that they had slowed to basically a non-existent pace and fell so far behind the group.

***

“When did you come out as gay?” Louis suddenly asks, completely off-subject.

Although the question may seem out of the blue, Harry can decipher from Louis’ tone that the question was very much planned. Perhaps, he had been waiting to ask. “You mentioned when we met that you were gay and I was just wondering, like… When did you like come out?”

It’s much later now. The rest of the group all retired to bed long ago but he and Louis had mustered up a six pack of Corona’s and have set themselves up on a rickety, wooden table right in the middle of the cluster of cabins, now each on their second beer. They’ve been sitting out here for at least an hour now, maybe more, conversation flowing freely between them.

“I think,” Harry idly scrunches his lips from left to right as he thinks. “I think I was about 15 when I told my family, maybe.” He turns his face towards Louis, kind eyes encouraging him to continue. He adds, “I don’t think I necessarily came out to anyone else after that, to be honest.”

“Wait, why?” Louis frowns, appearing rattled by Harry’s words. He bites his bottom lip before carefully asking, “Was your family not supportive?”

“No, no, they were perfect.” Harry reassures. “I think they always kind of knew so it wasn’t a big surprise to them at all. They all told me they love and support me no matter what. I couldn’t have asked for a better response to be honest.” Harry rests further into the seat, taking his eyes off Louis and angling his face towards the sky. The stars are more visible here than they were in the city. Hopefully he’ll get to see some better perspectives of the Australian night sky throughout this trip. He’s always treasured the serenity of gazing into the open, starry sky on a clear night when away from all the city lights. “I didn’t want it to be a big deal and it wasn’t,” he adds.

Louis still looks confused, eyebrows remaining scrunched together. “So why are you still in the closet to everyone else?”

When Harry withdrawals his gaze from the dark, cloudy sky and piers at Louis with his own eyebrows scrunched in confusion, Louis quickly retreats, “Sorry, not my place. You don’t have to tell me, I’m just confused because you just seem so…”

“Out and proud?” Harry finishes with a chuckle as Louis trails off awkwardly.

Louis just nods stiffly in response. He waves his hand about. “The way you were just flaunting it today in front of everyone. Like this group of still practical strangers and you just, like… didn’t care. And like opening flirting with that guide, who I’ll give it to you was very attractive,” Harry snorts, “but was like the epitome of a straight male and you just — “

“I am,” Harry cuts in with a smile, “out and proud, that is.” He gently grasps the top of Louis’ hand where it lays on the splintered table between them in hopes to ease some of the tension clear in his body at the conversation. He also hopes that the gesture will encourage Louis to meet his gaze. This topic clearly makes Louis uncomfortable, evident by his not at all characteristic hesitation and jumbling of words, and Harry wants to know why and hopes Louis is comfortable enough with him to let him in.

“I’m not in the closet,” Harry continues, “I just don’t find it necessary for me to have to outright inform the people I associate with that I’m gay because, what—do they need a heads up? I’m not ashamed, no, I will openly talk about a fit guy I’ve seen and make penis jokes and all that.” Louis sniggers encouraging Harry’s own smirk. “So it’s not a big secret. If someone doesn’t figure it out by themselves, then they’ll kind of just click on when I introduce them to a guy I’m seeing or when they see me snogging a guy at a club or whatever. It’s 2017, I don’t think you should just be assumed straight until proven gay, you know? Gay shouldn’t be something I’m defined by, its just a part of me and I’m proud of it but at the end of the day I’m still just Harry.”

And okay, he definitely didn’t mean to go on a rant, but this is just something he is really passionate about and loves to voice it. By the awed look on Louis’ face, Harry doesn’t think he minded at all.

“Wow,” is all Louis says for at least a minute, gazing at Harry with admiration in his eyes. Harry has to look away. “You should be like a LGBTQ spokesperson or something, that was deep mate,” he laughs, disbelievingly.

Harry rubs the back of his neck, chuckling too. He sheepishly reveals, “I actually am, or well, was I guess? I told you how I just finished uni right? At Sheffield?” Louis nods, “Well I was apart of the LGBTQ society there for 4 years, I was on the executive team for 2 of those. We did a lot of community work and provided a lot of help services and resources for young LGBTQ people who were struggling with their identity and what not. I loved it, love helping people.”

“That’s fucking incredible, Harry! I wish I had someone like you in my life when I was at uni,” Louis says with a tight-lipped, sad looking smile.

Harry really doesn’t want to overstep any boundaries, but he’s really fucking curious. “Did you struggle with your identity, Louis?”

Louis counters the question immediately with a swift, “When did you know you were gay?” and Harry thinks he’s definitely been too intrusive and made him uncomfortable, if Louis’ very ineloquent diversion is anything to go by. Way to go, Styles.

“I guess I always knew, I just didn’t know the word for it, or that it was different even, until I was like 11 or something,” Harry answers warily.

Louis nods before revealing, “I didn’t know for sure until I was probably almost 21. Maybe even 22.” He rolls his eyes at himself. “Even then I tried so hard not to know, I think that’s why it took me so long in the first place, it was easier to just be blissfully unaware. I didn’t want to be gay and I struggled with that for a couple of years, you know?”

Harry knows this isn’t uncommon. Knows this is much more common than his story, but it still saddens him to hear.

“I’m sorry,” is all Harry can muster up.

“Not your fault,” Louis waves him off easily, already seeming more comfortable with that piece of information out in the open. “I’m over it now. I’ve told my parents, I went to therapy, I’m not ashamed of it anymore. It’s actually kind of hard for me to comprehend what I was so ashamed now. I’ve never been happier, you know?”

“Yeah.” Harry couldn’t stop the smile which overtakes his lips if he tried. “That’s great, Louis. I’m really, really happy to hear that.”

Louis suddenly breaks into a fit of giggles, elbows on the wooden, picnic table and face in his hands. Harry can’t help but to laugh along even if it’s with a confused edge, Louis’ laugh is adorable and it’s contagious okay?

“What?” Harry asks through his own cackles which are getting stronger and louder the longer it goes on for. God, they’ve gone crazy for sure. Too much alcohol and not enough sleep.  

It takes Louis at least a minute to calm down enough to speak. Even once he does, it’s in between chuckles, “I just… it’s funny thinking back on it, how in denial I was. You know I was a bit of a lady’s man? Had like 4 girlfriends in high school.”

“Wow, really?” Harry counters, still trying to settle the giggles that keep escaping him.

“What a ladies’ man you were. Proper heartbreaker? Did you actually feel anything for them?”

“At the time I thought I did, now I realise it was just like friendly love, you know? Friends that had sex.”

“I’m actually a little jealous, you know? In a weird kind of way,” Harry admitted. “I never went through that ‘figuring myself out’ phase which of course was great and everything, don’t get me wrong,” Harry quickly tacks on, trying his best to not come across as insensitive. “But I kind of want to hook up with a girl, just to see what it’s like. Is that weird?”

Louis full on laughs at that, a deep belly laugh that reverberates through his entire body causing him to shake and pound his fist against the table. They should probably quiet down considering they are engulfed by the cabins where everyone is undoubtedly attempting to sleep since it’s probably at least 2am by now. Harry can’t find it in himself to care and he can’t tell if that’s because he’s on holiday or if it’s the influence of Louis’ carefree spirit. He leans towards the latter.

“Nah, I don’t think that’s weird. Straight people are all into having a gay experience, right? Why can’t gay people have their straight experiences?” Louis reasons while gesticulating wildly before his eyes suddenly widen and Harry can just about see a light bulb appear above his head. “I’ll find you a girl to hook up with on this trip! A nice Australian girl that you’ll never have to see again! Fuck, I’m a genius.”

Harry actually feels nervous just by the thought. Fiddling with his rings, he awkwardly laughs, “I don’t know about that…”

“Oh come _on_! You said you wanted to, I’m giving you a golden opportunity here Harold.”

 _Harold_. That’s new one in his long string of nicknames. He decides he doesn’t mind that one so much and chooses to ignore it for now.

“I’m not prepared for it though! I wouldn’t even know what to do.” Harry stresses, Louis lips trembling with suppressed laughter. “Don’t laugh! It would just be uncomfortable and awkward and I’d probably be so nervous that I wouldn’t even be able to bloody get it up!”

“Oh come off it! Don’t pretend like you don’t know how to have sex; it’s like human instinct! We can even watch some porn to get you in the zone. A crash course on heterosexual intercourse, if you will.”

Harry full on groans at Louis’ words covering his flaming, red face in his hands. How did their meaningful conversation turn into this? He’s known Louis for a grand total of two days and he’s already put him in danger of whiplash as a result of his abrupt excitable outbursts on multiple occasions.

At least the smile has returned to Louis face, though. He should be smiling all the time.

“Come on, Harry!” Louis begs. Pouting, he adds, “Please?”

“Maybe…” Harry eventually relents between the gaps in his fingers, Louis jumping up onto the rickety seat and repeatedly pumping his fist in the air while whooping and hollering. “Shhh!” Harry hushes Louis through his own laughter, grabbing his arm and pulling him down from the seat. “You’ll wake everyone up. Besides, I said maybe, as in I’ll think about it but I don’t know…”

Louis returned to his seated position, smile never leaving his face. “Good enough for me.”

They fall into silence shortly after but it is definitely not uncomfortable or awkward, more like the conversation has simple died out and now they’re simply enjoying each other’s presence.

Despite being the early hours of the morning, the air is still reasonably warm and humid but is definitely much less intense than during the day without the added heat of the summer sun.  The air is still and the only sound is the delicate chirp of crickets and other bugs buzzing around in the dead of night. It feels peaceful, almost therapeutic.

Harry couldn’t believe how close him and Louis had become in just a couple of short day of knowing one another. It was rare that he felt this comfortable around someone to the point that he could converse so freely and unrestricted like he felt he could with Louis. They were compatible, something just clicked within them from day dot and Harry is so thankful for that. To have someone to share the memories they will make on this once in a life time trip with means more to him than he ever could have imagined.

“You know,” Louis mumbles into the quiet after some time, “I never asked, but I take it you’re single?”

For whatever reason, the question prompts butterflies to erupt in his stomach. “I am, yeah.”

“Cool.” Louis nods.

Harry turns his head to face Louis. “What about you?”

“Yeah, same.”

Harry nods, “Cool.”

Eventually they make their way back to their cabin deciding it’s best to get some rest. They exchange hushed wishes of a sound sleep as they climb into their respective bunks, cautious of waking the rest of the very peaceful looking sleepers in the room in the process.

Harry falls into a restful sleep just about as soon as his head touches the pillow.

*******

**CONTIKI DAY 3**

Australia is a big place and since they’re travelling almost the entire east coast in just three weeks, it means that there is _a lot_ of travel. Some days will be short, some they won’t even have to travel at all, and then there are days like today—the _big_ days. Today they will be on the road for approximately seven hours until they arrive in the mid to north coast city of Coffs Harbour in New South Wales.

They’ve been driving for a little over an hour now and Harry is already beginning to get restless in the confines of his seat. He can’t find a comfortable position, his clothes feel too tight and constricting and he’s lost count of the amount of times he’s tied and untied his hair in frustration. The sun is particularly bright today too, beaming through the side of the window, the constant exposure beginning to make his head ache. 

“Harry, I swear to God if you move one more time I’m kicking you off his van.” Louis bites as Harry accidently elbows him for the third time in his quest to get comfortable in his seat.

Harry sighs, slipping further in his seat and throwing his head back. “I’m sorry. My back is bothering me.”

“Your back?” Louis questions, face quickly altering from annoyance to concern. “What’s wrong with your back?”

“I don’t know.” Harry admits. “I’ve just always just had a shit back. I think my bed last night may have been a bit too hard or something and it’s just set it off. It’s been seizing up all morning.”

“Turn around.”

Harry frowns. “What?”

Louis makes a spinning motion with his index finger. He takes his sunglasses off his eyes, clipping them onto the front of his t-shirt with the arms. “Turn around,” he repeats, “I’ll give you a rub.”

“Oh, no, you don’t have to do that.”

“No, seriously.” Louis unclips his seat belt, turning to fully face Harry in his seat with his legs tucked up underneath him. He motions for Harry to turn once more. “Come on, you’re going to be sitting there for like another six hours. Let me help.”

At the reminder of how long Harry is going to be confided to this fucking seat, he nods. He unbuckles his seat belt and copies Louis position.

Harry tips the side of his head against his head rest in relief as soon as Louis begins kneading at his lower back muscles.

“Right there,” Harry mumbles, closing his eyes as he relaxes into Louis’ touch. “You’re really good at this.”

Louis huffs a laugh through his nose and Harry feels it against the back of his neck. “You’re wound pretty tight. I think any pressure would feel good, to be fair.”

Harry simply hums as Louis continues to massage his back, paying special attention to any knots with the back of his knuckles. He applies the perfect amount of pressure and Harry is having to force down the moans that threaten to pass his lips at the pleasure. That would be rather awkward on a van full of people.

“Okay. You definitely know what you’re doing.” Harry declares once Louis begins applying single digit pressure along the length of his muscle like Harry’s experienced once before with a physiotherapist.   

Louis eases his pressure, smoothing his thumbs down his back as he says, “Sort of. Charlotte had to do a lot of physical therapy after the accident. I guess I picked up a few things.”

Harry’s about to reply when Zayn cuts in, “Oi, where’s my massage?” 

Louis laughs, ending Harry’s rub with two pats to his back. “What am I? A slave?”

“He got one.” Liam petulantly quips. Oh great, they’re all watching them now.

Harry pulls his legs off the seat, swivelling back around and re-doing his seat belt once his feet are back on the floor.

Louis cocks his head to the side. “Maybe, I just like him better than you lot.”

“Yeah, you bloody fancy him is what you do.” Liam rolls his eyes, though there is a smile poised on his lips.

“Oh, piss off.” Louis jibes. “Seriously though, Harry’s got a shit back. That’s why I was rubbing it.”

“And because you fancy him,” Zayn mock-whispers, prompting everyone to laugh.

Louis grabs Harry by the sides of his face, squishing his cheeks together causing his skin to wrinkle rather unattractively. “Obviously. Who wouldn’t fancy this face?”

“Hey.” Harry drawls as he pulls out of Louis’ grip, slapping his hands away. He tucks a piece of hair behind his ear that Louis’ hands on the side of his head had set free. “You’re all so mean to me. I don’t know why I’m putting up with you.”

“You love us!” Sophia sing-songs from her seat in front of Harry’s. Harry didn’t even realise she was paying any attention to the conversation.

He gently kicks the back of her chair with his foot, Sophia only lightly jostled. “Shoosh you.”

***

So, the Big Banana is a thing that apparently exists in Coffs Harbour. Yep. A big ass banana built in 1964 out the front of a banana plantation with an entire amusement park behind that. Big bananas and _actual_ bananas—Harry’s two favourite things in life. Ha. He already has multiple options for witty Instagram captions floating around his mind.

They stop off at the attraction on their way through Coffs Harbour to their accommodation and Harry is surprised that he’s never heard about this place before. It’s apparently a booming tourist spot, hundreds of people milling about, posing and taking pictures in front of a monument dedicated to _bananas_.

“Why do you reckon they’ve made the tip of it green?” Liam screws his face up as he pushes himself out of the van, looking offended by the fake piece of fruit. “It’s not even ripe.”

Harry steps out of the van after him, groaning in pleasure as he stretches out his joints. He’s extremely thankful that the long drive is all but over, Nathan declaring as they pulled into the park they are only a mere fifteen minute drive from the hostel they will be staying at for the night, and that tomorrow there will be no travelling what so ever.

“Of course it is, it’s all yellow.”

Liam frowns. “No. The end you open it from is green.”

Harry chooses that moment to cut into the conversation, “I open it from the other end.”

“Of course you do.” Liam scoffs.

Harry shakes his head with an amused laugh. “So mean to me.”

They take their obligatory tourist photos in front of the banana before heading into the park. They each buy tickets for two rides on the toboggan which Harry thinks is a little random, but he has a ball regardless.

Harry ends up buying a ridiculous amount of banana themed memorabilia and they all enjoy a good old chocolate dipped banana before they’re ambling back onto the van and heading to the hostel.

Later, Harry sends the photo of himself in front of the big Banana to Gemma, arms spread wide and goofy grin on his face, with the caption ‘ _Harry Styles’ heaven? I am never coming home!”._ Gemma sends back an eye roll emoji.

*******

**CONTIKI DAY 4**

Harry had never heard of Coffs Harbour before booking his Australia holiday but it’s proving to be his favourite place of the entire trip thus far. It really is a beautiful place, hidden treasures around every corner.  The diversity of activities available is staggering and Harry can’t imagine what it must be like to actually live in a place like this, like so many people do.

Last night he had finally caught some well-deserved sleep, remaining unconscious for a grand total of 11 hours and today he feels revitalised. He also feels like he’s finally totally adjusted to the Australian time zone and is oh so relieved for that.

This morning they had ventured out on a rainforest walk which had finished up at the Forest Sky Pier, a platform standing 15 meters above the forest floor, offering a panoramic view of Coffs Harbour, from the mountains behind them to the deep blue coastline in front. While up there, they had declared that their next stop simply had to be the beach.

Now, they’re on the short 10 minute walk from the hostel to the beach and Harry knows they’re getting close from the detectable smell of salt in the air.

The afternoon is hot and the mostly cloudless sky is providing little relief from the full overhead sun. Harry pulls a tube of sunscreen out of his bag, squeezing a dollop onto his fingers before holding the tube up in offering. “Anyone want any sunscreen?”

Niall takes some, the rest waving him off. Harry frowns, “You’ll get burnt. This isn’t England.”

“I don’t burn.” Louis shrugs. “Turns straight to tan.”

“Even so, it’s still not good for your skin,” Harry says, rubbing some of the cream into his nose and cheeks. He uses what is left on his hands to smooth down his neck, lifting the straps of his tank to get the tops of his shoulders

The first step onto the beach feels like relaxation personified. The sand is warm beneath his bare feet and the melodic whisper of waves crashing together draws him closer to the shore like a moth to a flame.

They set themselves up a few meters back from the water. Harry drops his bag, spreading out his towel next to it before whipping his shirt off, revelling into the comforting feeling of the warm sun against his bare skin. He pushes the tube of sunscreen into Louis’ hands, gesturing to his back.

“Can you put some on me?”

Louis obliges, smoothing the cream into his skin with both hands. Once done, he passes the sunscreen back to Harry before taking off his own shirt and presenting his back to Harry.

“I thought you didn’t burn?”

Louis looks at him over his shoulder. With a smirk he says, “Yeah. It’s still not good for your skin, you know.”

Harry smiles. “So a wise man once told me.”

The water feels even lovelier than it looks. It’s warm although there is still a pleasantly fresh nip when they initially step in. The waves are good too, not too rough but strong enough to still be able to whip them around enough to be considered enjoyable.

“Man! Wish I had a board!” Zayn says as he remerges from beneath the water after diving through a wave. Water droplets spurt from the ends of his hair as he shakes them out like a dog after a bath.

“You surf too?” Louis asks excitedly. Zayn nods with a grin of his own. “Sick! We’ll have to hire a couple boards another time.” He turns his gaze on Harry, dredging his way towards him in the waist deep water. “You surfed before?”

“I haven’t, no,” he admits.

“It’s good fun. I’ll teach you!” Louis proclaims as he reaches him.

Harry reaches out to touch his water slick hair, completely slicked away from his face and nicely showing off the bone structure of his face. Harry likes it. “Your hair looks good like this. Looks smart.”

“Thanks,” Louis smiles before reaching his own hand out and shaking out Harry’s limp curls. “Yours looks cool. Very rock star.”

Harry snorts. “It’s tangled, is what it is.”

Louis just shakes his head. “It’s cool. In fact, I think I’ve found another nickname for you, rock star.”

***

It’s late by the time that they get back to the hostel, breaching the early hours of the morning. They had been at the beach until sundown, before having a late dinner and a few drinks in town with some of the others from the Contiki, time seeming to just fly away from them. Now, they’re all squeezed around one of the outdoor tables out the back of the hostel, each with a beer in front of them. For whatever reason, they’ve decided that it would be fun to play a round of never have I ever.

“Okay, I’ll start us off.” Niall declares. It’s the middle of the night and yet he still has a pair of sunglasses perched upon his nose. Harry’s not sure how he can even see in the dim lighting. Perhaps he can’t and he’s just too proud to take them off. “Never have I ever cheated on a partner.”

Niall sweeps his eyes around their little circle with raised eyebrows, almost like he was daring someone to raise their drink to their lips. When no one does, an impressed grin takes over his face. “Good children! I’ll drink to that!”

“Niall, the aim of the game is to not drink. Why the fuck would you take a sip by free will? You’re just setting yourself up to lose,” Liam chides, drawing the fresh bottle of beer away from Niall’s mouth halfway through his heaping gulp.

Niall just shrugs, raising the bottle once more and taking another sip around the smirk on his lips. Liam to roll his eyes. With his lips still wrapped around the rim of the bottle, he gestures for Liam to take the next turn.

“Right, well sticking with the cheating theme, never have I ever been cheated on.”

After a small pause both Zayn and Niall take a sip from each of their drinks.

“Before you get all glum on me,” Zayn starts, a single hand held up in defence, “we were only together for like 2 months and it wasn’t really working out anyway. I was actually kind of relieved to be honest, gave me an easy out.”

Everyone nods along in understanding but Harry finds it hard to relate. He’s always been the type of person who has gone into a relationship handing over all of himself and the keys to his heart from the very first day. He’s always been an emotional guy and he honestly wouldn’t have it any other way. The way it feels to wholeheartedly invest yourself in someone and love them with every fibre of your being while they love you back. That’s a special feeling that Harry knows a lot of people struggle to feel, unlike himself.  Maybe that will ultimately be his great downfall but he knows that he could never be so blasé about something like being cheated on, something that would literally break his heart in two. Would never be able to use cheating and relief in the same sentence. Apparently he’s alone on that sentiment since it hasn’t seemed to bother anyone else in their little group. At least not outwardly.

He stays quiet.

He cuts himself out of his own thoughts when the attention shifts to Niall who simply shrugs. “It was in high school, I’m well over it. Come on Louis, your turn. Make it good.”

“Okay, let me think.” Louis says, face angled towards the table with his head in his hands. He looks like he’s genuinely concentrating hard on coming up with a good statement as he shushes everyone who speaks over his thought processing. Eventually though a slow smile spreads over his face as he straightens up and says, “Never have I ever had sex with someone in a friend’s bed without them knowing.” He winks, “Double points if they’re at this table.”

He’s smirking directly in Liam and Sophia’s direction who look guilty as charged as they side eye each other and each take a sip of their drinks. “Ha! You dirty bastards! I just fucking knew I’d get you on that one! Come on fess up, whose bed was it? Oh, lordy lord.” Louis tilts his head to look up to the sky, hands pressed together in a praying gesture. “Please let it be Niall or Zayn’s.”

Liam only smiles sweetly at Zayn for the reaction to come. “What the fuck man?! My bed, are you for real?”

“I’m sorry!” Liam holds his hands up in defence, a cautious smile curving his lips. “It was just one time- “

“Oh yeah that makes it better!” Zayn retorts, crossing his arms over his chest. “When was this?” He uncrosses his arms, using both of his hands to cover his ears as he squeezes his eyes shut. “Actually, you know what? I don’t want to know. I could’ve lived my whole life better without knowing that. I definitely do not need the details. Harry, next.”

Harry takes pity on Zayn and says the first thing which comes to mind. “Okay, uh. Never have I ever hooked up with someone at a club.”

The whole circle (besides Harry, of course) takes a sip.

Louis has barely swallowed his swig of beer, throat still bobbing when he says, “The real finding here, Harold, is that you haven’t. Who hasn’t had club sex?”

“Maybe my standards are just a little higher than some.” Harry shrugs, raising a single teasing brow. He can’t imagine a public bathroom to be the most glamourous place to have sex. Actually, way less than glamourous. Like bordering on gross. Maybe he’s just never been horny and desperate enough to resort to a quickie at a club. Maybe he can change that on this trip. That’s what all this is about at the end of the day, isn’t it? Life experiences and all that.

“Feisty,” Louis jibes, mock clawing the air. “Not even a quick handy?”

Harry simple rolls his eyes.

“My turn!” Sophia sing-song’s from under Liam’s arm, effectively cutting off the conversation. It’s times like these that Harry can appreciate Sophia’s awkward conversation etiquette. “Never have I done anal!”

 “Aye, one for us Harry!” Louis clinks their beer bottles together as he proceeds to take a proud sip. Harry mirrors it with some difficulty as the laughter rumbling through his chest and prevents him from swallowing. “That’s the goal of gay sex, innit.”

“I’ll drink to that.” Harry repeats Niall’s words from earlier, both him and Louis taking an extra sip and watching one another with raised eyebrows over the top of the bottle.

“I always think like—every time I’m taking a big shit, right? I think ‘hey, I could take a dick this big.” Niall says seriously. “Anyone else think that?”

“Niall, that’s disgusting.” Sophia scrunches her nose up. Both Zayn and Liam look contemplative, maybe a little bit fascinated by Niall’s thought process but not at all surprised by his confession, while Louis’ features only communicate amusement. Harry’s never been around people who are so unashamed and unforgivably themselves like the little group they’ve formed on the tour. Maybe that in itself provides the answer as to why—the fact that they’re so far from home and so far from their normal lives, somehow breaking away all of their inhibitions. 

Maybe it’s a little bit awkward but Harry has decided that he likes it. Likes talking about things that are a little bit taboo and that at home, you are maybe expected to keep to yourself.

Niall holds his hands up in defence. He finally relents with the sunglasses, nonchalantly pushing them into his hair. “I’m just saying.”

“We expect nothing less from you Niall.” Zayn leans over the table to pet his head like you would a dog when they’ve been a ‘good boy’. The sunglasses fall off his head with the motion, clattering to the ground. “Listen up, I’ve got a good one. Never have I ever participated in role play.”

Oh.

Harry could feel himself going red. Maybe he would have to take his previous thought back. Maybe some things were best to remain unsaid out loud to a group of people he’d known for all of 4 days.

“When did this turn into never have I ever sex addition?” Harry huffed, slipping further into his seat and leaning his forearms against the table with his beer positioned between them and his body.

Louis lights up at that, wrapping his arm around Harry’s shoulders. “Good idea!” he yells right by his ear, “Only sex related statements from now on.”

Harry just groaned. Its not that he’s ashamed of his sexuality or anything it’s just that these people are still practically strangers and it’s a little embarrassing for him sharing all the nasty details. And well, he will admit, there are quite a few details.

“Go on then, anyone for role play, cough, Liam and Sophie, cough.”

Harry took the opportunity while everyone was laughing at the couple to very discreetly take a sip of his own beer. That was in vein though because the movement caught Louis eye and he burst out laughing, slapping Harry on the back and drawing the groups attention to him. Harry spluttered on his beer and he could feel a single stream of liquid dribble down his chin. He was sure he was a deep shade of crimson now as he pressed the cool bottle to his flaming cheeks and wiped away the alcohol that had escaped from his lips.

“You kinky, bastard! Why am I not surprised that that innocent thing you’ve got going on is all an act?”

“I’m not acting like anything!” Harry protests Louis’ words. “Can we just move on?”

“Oh definitely, I’m going to have fun with this.” Louis grinned, tapping his finger tips together menacingly. “Let’s figure you out, shall we?”

“Ohh! I’ve got one!” Sophia raises her hand like a child at school trying to get their teachers attention. Louis nods for her to go on. “Never have I ever had sex with anyone a decade or more years older than me.”

It’s actually quite ironic, Harry thinks, that the very next question after Louis’ declaration of essentially using this game as a means of embarrassing him was the exact question that Harry is most embarrassed answering. Harry considers just not taking a sip but he’s never been a cheater. He feels better when Niall mirrors him looking much prouder than Harry does. At least he feels better when Niall directs the attention away from himself with his enthusiasm for showing off a little bit.

“Oi! Snagging a girl in her 20’s when you were a teenager was the goal! Don’t lie and say you’re not jealous,” he gloats, chin held high and looking rather pleased with himself.

Liam rolls his eyes, clearly not buying it. “Bullshit. You did not fuck a girl in her 20’s when you were a teenager. You could hardly find another teenager to fuck let along an experienced girl. Don’t lie, Ni. Play the game properly”

“What was the supposed girl looking for, mate?” Zayn cocks his head playfully. “Disappointment?”

“Ha, bloody, ha,” Niall mocks. “You’re all just jealous. Why aren’t you accusing Harry of lying, then? Since you’ve all pinned him as the innocent one which he’s clearly proving quite wrong, aye Harry.”

Niall winks at him. He raises his eyebrows suggestively and tilts his beer towards him in a toast like gesture, causing Harry to flush an even darker shade of red. Harry can feel Louis’ eyes on him, _smirking_ at him, elbows rested on the table with his face cupped in his palms. Damn. He probably would’ve made it out unscathed if it weren’t for Niall.

“What’s your story then, young Harry?”

“I don’t remember the rules stating anything about having to tell the story.” Harry quips, holding the frosted glass of his bottle against his overheated neck as he speaks. He can feel the condensation dribble down his neck, pooling around and seeping into the neckline of his shirt.

“Another great idea!” Sophia squeals, leaning forward in her seat with her eyes boring into Harry. “New rule, you have to tell the story, come on Harry. I’m curious.”

Louis fist bumps Sophia, the rest of the group laughing with them. Harry has to stifle a laugh of his own with a little nip at the inside of his cheek, not wanting to show any signs of amusement and further egg Louis on.

“Fine,” Harry huffs. “I lost my virginity to a guy 13 years old than me, happy?”

Everyone’s mouth’s drop comically and Harry would laugh if he wasn’t so busy trying to will the blush rising in his cheeks away. He only ever talks about this stuff with his closest friends and even then it’s not his favourite thing in the world to discuss. It just _awkward_. Maybe he needs to work on being more open.

“Harry, don’t think you can leave it at that. You have to elaborate, _please_ , this is gold.” Niall says gazing at Harry with eyes full of awe, shaking his head ever so slightly like he just can’t quite believe it.

Louis, Sophia, Liam and Zayn all look thoroughly intrigued too, all slightly leant forwards in their seats and gazes focusing on him completely, so Harry just just sighs and continues. Its embarrassing but isn’t that the whole point of the game?

 _Fuck it_ , he decides.

“Um, I was 17 and he was 30…” Harry coughs, awkwardly. It sounds so much worse out loud than it really is. He was legal, at least. “It was when I was in my last year of school and everyone around me was doing it, losing their virginity that is. But like… I came from a small town so—I knew I was gay but there wasn’t really anyone to kind of… you know… explore with. Sexually. So I—please don’t judge me—one Friday night I told my mum I was staying at a mate’s house but I actually caught the train to Manchester by myself, got into this gay bar, which I really don’t know how I got in to be honest. I didn’t even have a fake ID and I had such a baby face. I definitely didn’t look 18. Anyway, I basically just went home with the first guy that would take me. So yeah, I lost my virginity just because everyone else was and it was awkward as hell and the guy kicked me out afterwards, like silly 17-year-old me assumed it was just like normal to stay the night after a hook-up. I had to sit at the train station in the freezing cold and wait for hours until the first train of the morning came and then I went home and cried. I was like so distraught that I told my mum which of course only got me grounded,” he shakes his head. “Not my finest moment.”

Harry receives a bunch of blank faces opening staring back at him causing him to shrink further into his seat. He awkwardly scratches the back of his neck as he says, “No big deal though now, obviously. I’m not like torn up about it. At the time, yeah. I just don’t really like talking about it. Kind of embarrassing, right?”

Harry expects it to be awkward after that, like that’s such a weird thing to share. He probably supplied way too much information too, honestly, why does he have such a strong tendency to make everything sound so over the top emotive?

However, Niall, the angel sent from heaven above to save him from moments like these it seems (honestly, everyone needs a Niall in their life), comes to the rescue. “Fucking hell, mate! That’s ballsy! Not embarrassing at all. I wish I had a good first time story to tell. That’d be a great one to pull out at a party when there’s nothing else to say.”

“Or a good one to keep to myself probably,” Harry mutters under his breath feeling a bit embarrassed dredging up probably the most awful mistake he made in his awkward teenage years. He doesn’t think anyone even heard, or even cared for that matter, when he feels a warm palm on the centre of his back.  

“Hey, don’t get down about it now,” Louis soothing voice is right by his ear, only for him to hear. The tension in Harry’s shoulders eases as Louis strokes between them. His face is right by his now, smile genuine and warm. Harry smiles back.

“I’m curious, though.” Zayn raises his hand. Harry reluctantly pulls his gaze away from Louis and focuses his attention on Zayn. “Why did you tell your mum? Like I get you were upset but why not just say like _‘hey mum, I’m feeling a bit shit today’_ then you get her emotional support or whatever but don’t actually have to be like _‘hey mum, I totally lied to you about where I was last night, snuck into a club and got laid by someone probably more suitable in age to you than me’_ , you know? You just got yourself into trouble for it,” he winks, “sad and grounded.”

Harry snorts. “I’m close with my mum, always have been. She’s a single mum, I’m the youngest, I was always a bit of a mummies boy so I guess I wanted her to know? I don’t know, really. I was just really emotional, I was sore, I’d had no sleep so I was so overtired and I just wanted her to understand. Looking back on it now I get why she was mad but at the time I just wanted sympathy and for her to know, so I told her.” He shakes his head as the memories play back in his head. “Was totally shocked when she flew off the handle, took away my phone and laptop and dragged me to the doctors to get STD tested,” he sniggers.

“Oh my god, stop!” Niall is laughing so hard that his face is turning a rather concerning, deep shade of crimson, tears gathered in the corner of his eyes. It’s contagious and Harry can’t help but to laugh along with him. “You had to go get tested for STD’s with your _mum_?! Bloody hell.”

“Honestly, it was more uncomfortable and awkward than the actual sex. Then a couple weeks later I came home from school to the negative test results, an absolutely massive box of condoms and a note from my mum which read _‘you’re lucky this time’_ , sitting on my bed. It was humiliating.”

“Aw, your mum sounds adorable.” Sophia says, leaning forwards in her seat and resting her chin in her hands as she speaks. “Do you ever talk about it? Like now?”

“Sometimes,” he chuckles. “It’s kind of awkward, obviously. I’d never bring it up but she’s my mum and she’s super protective of me so she always like… she doesn’t want people taking advantage of me so sometimes she’ll bring it up when she’s giving me one of her little lectures about being more wary of people and their intentions and such. Especially when I’m travelling, you know, I’m a pretty trusting person so…” he trails off with a laugh.

“That’s so cute!” Sophia coos. “That you’re so close with your mum, I mean. That she’s so protective. I love that you openly admitted to being a mummy’s boy, too cute.”

“As touching as that is, I still stand by that being the funniest loss of virginity story I’ve ever heard,” Niall declares, still laughing.

Louis, whose attention had fully been directed towards Harry, turns his upper body slightly to address the group, his lower body still angled towards Harry, when he says. “If any of you lot say that you had a good loss of virginity experience, then you’re lying. I know mine sucked. It was with a girl for starters.”

Harry is thankful for the diversion in conversation, glad to have the attention off of him. He presses the base of his bottle to his neck once more before directing the neck towards his lips and taking a generous swig. He guesses the game of never have I ever is over. He can hope at least.

“So do you not like girls at all then?” Sophia asks Louis. “Strictly guys? Full gay?”

Zayn, Niall and even Liam snigger at Sophia’s choice of words. “Full gay.” Zayn mocks, shaking his head earning himself a punch in the shoulder from Sophia.

“Why’s that, Soph?” Louis leans in close in her direction, wiggling his eyebrows exaggeratingly. “Wanna have a go? Is Liam okay with this?” Louis mock gasps, eyes bulging comically. “Is Liam going to join in?! Were we asking the wrong questions in our little game about your sex lives?”

Liam scrunches his nose up, wrapping his arm possessively around Sophia and pulling her further into his side. “No thankyou. We’re both fine.”

Sophia just rolls her eyes, extracting herself from Liam’s hold and instead twining their fingers together. Liam kisses the crown of her head. The way they interact with each other is so effortless and quite heartening to observe. Liam and Sophia fit together so seamlessly that Harry is almost a little bit jealous of their undeniable natural chemistry. He’s always been a relationship kind of guy, despite the fact that he’s only actually ever been in one _proper_ relationship, and watching Liam and Sophia together makes him long for the time that he too spent wrapped up in the comfort of someone’s arms, someone who belongs to just him.

“Seriously though. I was just curious,” Sophia pouts.

Louis just raises his eyebrows at Sophia’s persistence and Harry can’t tell if Louis is purposely avoiding answering the question or is just trying to ruffle a few of Sophia’s feathers. Harry is aware that Louis had struggled in the past with coming to terms with his sexuality, had told him so the other night, but he also told him that he was over it and had now totally accepted himself. He really, deeply hopes that what he said was true.

“Only men for me.” Harry shrugs when the silence stretches long enough to be considered awkward. “If you were wondering.”

“See! Harry can answer the question!”

Louis just shakes his head, chuckling to himself. “Fine, yeah. Only blokes.”

Okay, so Louis didn’t seem too distressed by answering so he was probably _was_ just trying to get a bit of a reaction out of Sophia then. He’s glad.

“I’ve always wanted to know how the top and bottom thing works?” Niall chimes in. “Like not physically, obviously. I’m not naïve. Like, I don’t know, who does what. How do you decide? Do you have like set roles? You don’t have to figure that out with girls, you know,” he smirks, “Is this a weird question?”  

“No, not a weird question at all,” Harry answers. Now _this_ is definitely something he can speak about without feeling awkward, what with his few years as an LGBTQ spokesperson. Has answered this many question many of times for lost and curious young people. “I definitely thought about it a lot before I actually started having sex. Sometimes there’s set roles. Sometimes not. Some people will only top or bottom and some people will do both. Some people don’t even like it at all and won’t do either. It depends on the couple.”

“Yeah,” Louis agrees with a nod before elaborating, “When you get yourself into something with someone you can usually tell where its heading and what the other person wants. You just kind of got to make it obvious what you’re looking to do and they’ll do the same. It usually works out without awkward discussions.”

“What do you guys do?” Niall asks innocently.

Sophia gasps, slapping his bicep. “You can’t just ask them that!”

“Oh come on! Harry just admitted to being into all that kinky shit but he can’t say what sex position he prefers?”

Harry cringes. “Thanks for reminding me that I’ve shared way too much about my sex life already. I think I’ll pass on the sex position quiz, thankyou.”

“Oh come off it! Tommo, come on, you said you can tell a top or bottom, what’s Harry?”

“Mate, that’s not even what I said.” Louis defends.

Harry huffs. “Why aren’t you asking him what he prefers? Why is this about me now?”

“Because you’re getting all defensive and blushy and this is _way_ more fun. Tommo?”

Harry just turns to Louis with pleading eyes not to delve into any assumptions he’s made about Harry’s preferences in bed. He’s 100% sure that he wouldn’t know anyway since they’ve not talked about anything remotely sexual and their friendship has been totally platonic but that’s not really the point anyway. Just throwing his assumptions out there for everyone is still just as awkward, even if they’re incorrect. Fortunately, Louis just shakes his head with a little smile before turning back to Niall.

“I’m not doing that to him, mate. Just leave him alone, his face is going to set on fire in a minute with how red it’s getting.”

“Mate! You’re the one that started it in the first place with all the sex questions!” Niall throws his hands up exasperatedly.

“Well then, as the one who started the discussion, I grant myself the power to end it.” He wraps his arm around Harry’s neck, pulling his head onto his shoulder and ruffling his curls. Harry sinks into the embrace. “Us gays have got to stick together, right Harold? We’re outnumbered here.”

“Us gays have got to still together?” Harry snorts. He keeps his head in place on Louis shoulder. “That’s probably the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard you say yet.”

“Hey.” Louis half-heartedly slaps his shoulder. “Are you making fun of my LGBTQ pride, Mr. President of the gay squad at Sheffield?”

Harry wish he could stop the obnoxious cackle that escapes his lips but it’s out without his permission before Louis even finishes his query. Louis wraps his arm around his upper back as he retorts, “First of all, it’s called the LGBTQ society but I’m not going to lie that wasn’t the first time I’d heard it be referred to as the gay squad or something similar. Secondly I wasn’t president, I was on the executive counsel, thankyou very much. Thirdly, you’re ridiculous.”

Louis chuckles and Harry ignores the fluttering sensation in his belly at the fact that Louis remembered the detail he had told him the night before.

“Anyway, I’m really into conspiracy theories, right,” Niall drawls, completely off-topic, directing his gaze towards where himself and Louis are huddled together and wait, what did he say?

Liam, Zayn and Sophia all groan in unison before he can question it. “Niall, we honestly need to cut you off from YouTube! We don’t want to hear about the bloody Mandela effect and neither do Louis and Harry!”

“Mandela effect? Like Nelson Mandela?” Louis questions.

“I’ll tell ya another time,” Niall mock whispers to Louis, hand blocking his mouth from sight. He evens his voice to a normal volume and tone before saying, “I have my own conspiracy theory though, you’ll like this one. I reckon these two are deceiving us.” He swivels his index finger between Louis and Harry. “I reckon they actually knew each other before coming here, came here together and for some reason are getting a weird thrill out of pretending they’re complete strangers,” he raises his eyebrows at Sophia, “I don’t think you were too off the mark, Soph. I think you were actually right. I think they are like _together_ _together._ ”  
“And why exactly would we do that, Niall?” Harry squints at him, an amused smirk poised on his lips.

Niall shrugs as he says, “It’s probably kinky,”

Louis shrugs, Harry’s head still resting on his shoulder bobbing up and down with the movement. Harry rotates his head upwards to see Louis exaggeratingly pouting at him. “Game over sugar plum. They caught us. No more kinky sex for us.”

“Damn it,” Harry snaps his fingers exaggeratingly. “Hey honey bunch, I’ve been meaning to ask, did you remember to lock the back door before we left home?”

“Is that a gay sex euphemism?” Niall tilts his head like a confused puppy. Niall and a canine is a good comparison, Harry thinks. He’d be a friendly dog. A Golden Retriever, perhaps.

“No, Niall. They’re making fun of you,” Zayn rolls his eyes. “Fucking idiot.”

Niall looks down-right scandalised, flapping his arms around wildly. “You don’t think I’m right? Are you serious, Zayn? They have more chemistry than I’ve had with all the girlfriend’s I’ve ever had put together! I mean look at them,” he points, “that’s the comfort of an established relationship right there.”

Harry lifts his head off Louis’ shoulder, extracting himself from Louis’ arm. Harry doesn’t look at him but from the glimpse he catches out of the corner of his eye, Louis looks hurt. Harry decides not to read into that too much. He awkwardly stands.

“Well, thanks for sharing your theory Niall,” he says shortly before holding his hand up in static wave. “I think I’m going to head to bed, though. It’s pretty late.”

He turns on his heel and begins walking towards the back door of the hostel. He hears footsteps behind him and he knows they belong to Louis. He doesn’t stop but he slows down substantially until Louis catches up. He rests a palm on the top of his shoulder when he does.

“Hey. Are you alright?”

Harry turns to face him as he walks through the door and into the hallway with Louis in step. “Of course. Why?”

Louis sighs, smoothing his hand down his shoulder to his forearm, pulling him off to the side just by their room. “I’ll tell Niall to stop with the relationship thing. It’s obviously bothered you and I didn’t mean to put you in that position. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say sorry,” Harry frowns. “It didn’t bother me.” Louis cocks an eyebrow. “No, it really didn’t. Just, I don’t know.” He interrupts himself with a rather forceful yawn. “God. I think I just need some sleep.”

“Come on then, let’s go to bed,” Louis opens the door to their room, pushing Harry past the threshold with a hand on his lower back before following close behind. “Is your bed alright? Not making your back any worse? We have another big drive tomorrow.”

Harry nods. “Yeah, this one is much better, thanks.”

They use the communal bathroom to wash up before bed, standing side by side at the trio of sinks. They are each crawling into their respective beds when Niall and Zayn, whom they are also sharing the four person room with, come ambling in and they all wish each other a goodnight.


	3. Port Macquarie, Byron Bay, Gold Coast

**CONTIKI DAY 6**

“Louis, mate! Where did you run off to?”

They’re in Port Macquarie now. After the 3-hour drive from Coffs Harbour this morning, they’ve just checked into their accommodation—a hostel, which is actually more so a house than anything. It’s old, cottage like, painted a faded burgundy and a rich, mossy green, complete with a veranda and a white picket fence. Healthy, green grass covers the entire property and there’s a family sized swimming pool in the back garden with little spring board hanging over the edge and an array of inflatable toys floating around. It very much gives Harry a ‘grandparents house’ kind of cosy vibe.

The place is packed to the rafters, each of the 10 rooms housing up to 8 people with 4 bunk beds in each room. Their group ends up having to split up, Harry, Louis and Niall being assigned to a room shared with a quirky little group of guys from Taiwan. Liam and Sophia are disappointed to learn that the rooms are gender assigned, therefore not only are they split up, but Sophia is assigned to a room by herself. Liam and Zayn end up together at least, sharing the room just across the hall from Harry, Louis and Niall.

“Was at the information centre,” Louis answers Niall’s question as he casually strolls back into the common area where they’re all hanging out under the air-conditioning. There’s no cooling in the individual rooms and Harry has already despondently ruled out the possibility of sleep tonight. “Found a brochure for a surf school.” He holds up said brochure. “They take a group out every morning and afternoon. The woman up front told me we’re about a half hour walk to where they head off from. If we leave now we’d probably have time to grab a bite to eat before it starts, if any of you wanted to join me?”

Harry, Zayn and Niall all agree to join, Liam and Sophia opting to spend some time alone which, of course, is only met with separation anxiety and sex deprivation jokes at their room situation. Harry thinks its sweet that they’re worried about being separated for the night.

They make it down to the beach right on time, the surf school still offering about half a dozen boards and accepting sign ups.

The instructor is a friendly guy with a bright pink line of zinc smeared across his nose and cheeks, his long hair blowing around in the wind and the front pieces getting stuck in the cream. He gives them each a board before instructing them to take them down to the flat sand and wait for the rest of the group.

They’ve just dropped their boards in the sand before Louis is whipping his t-shirt off and laying on his board, flat on his back. His shorts ride low when he stretches his arms above his head and groans at the warm sun on his naked torso.  

Harry has seen Louis in various stages of undress now with the close quarters they’re living in, yet each time he sees Louis like this he still feels like he has to force his eyes away. Feels dirty for looking for some reason. He knows that he is attracted to Louis and he won’t even deny it. Louis is objectively beautiful—it’s not an opinion it’s a fact—with a lean, yet shapely body, bronzed skin, silky smooth hair and bright, intelligent eyes. He’s not blind, after all, he can appreciate a good looking person. More than that though, Louis is quick witted and proud and smart as a whip, all features Harry thinks are quite admirable and well _attractive_.

Harry just thinks maybe all the flirting and teasing and his tactile nature may be playing a few tricks on his mind and maybe, possibly fuelling a little crush. Maybe it’s simply a sexual attraction but either way it’s becoming a little bit frustrating with the closer he and Louis become.

The thing with this trip is that he is constantly surrounded by people, doesn’t even get ten minutes to himself for a bit of relief. Maybe that’s why the past few days whenever he sees Louis like this, all of his thoughts turn a little bit inappropriate for two platonic friends. Perhaps it’s all the sun they’ve been getting, turning his brain to mush. That, or it’s reverting itself back to his state of mind during puberty and _no one_ wants that.

“Harry,” Louis breaks him out of his thoughts. Harry turns to him with wide eyes, like he’s been caught. Like somehow Louis could read his thoughts. “I’ve thought of another nickname for you,” he smirks, lifting his head off the board and dramatically flipping his hair. “Fabio.”

Harry attempts to keep a straight face, to not show amusement, though he fails and a wide grin stretches across his face. “Fabio,” he repeats as flatly as his voice, trembling with suppressed laughter, allows.

“Yeah, Fabio. Like the guy from all the romance novels with the handsome, long locks, always flowing in the wind.” His smile is boarding on manic. “Fabio,” he says, rolling the name off his tongue with a French inspired tilt.

Harry shakes his head, throwing his own shirt off and mimicking Louis position stretched out on his board. The sun relaxes him instantaneously.

“You’re a loser.”

Louis winks, “Cheers, Fabio.”

***

After just 5 minutes of surfing, Harry has already decided that he hates it. There is no way in this world that he is physically capable of catching a wave _and_ managing to balance on his board at the same bloody time, laying _or_ standing. It’s just not possible.

It also doesn’t help that Louis and Zayn are apparently both pros, even the instructor seems to be impressed by their wave catching abilities. Niall is not all that bad either, only taking him a couple of waves to really get the hang of planting his feet on the board and steadily lifting himself into a standing position to ride out the wave.

Harry, himself, can’t even get to the point of attempting to stand, each time he tries to catch a wave, he’s either tipped straight off the board or the wave is too weak for his weight and he slips right over the top of it.

He’s nothing if not resilient though, so he persists. He’s just watched Louis catch a wave, shooting past him with a thumbs up as his board eloquently sliced through the water and he just makes it look so God damn easy that Harry just can’t give up.

There’s a wave approaching and Harry swivels himself around so it’s behind him. He paddles fast, can feel himself being sucked into the wave, feels the white wash tickle his legs before the nose of his board is being dunked into the water and he’s face planting into the wave. Water rushes up his nose as his legs are flipped over his head and he’s tumbling with the swirl of the wave, caught in the suction. He emerges from the water spluttering, hair hanging over the front of his face like a soggy curtain and his board incessantly tugging at his leg where it’s tied around his ankle, taken away from him with the wave.

The pushes his hair back off his face and blinks his eyes open to see a very amused Louis floating on his board in front of him. “Need some help?”

Harry holds up a finger, scrunching his fizzing nose of salty water before the sneeze hits him. He looks back to Louis blankly. “Why? I’m obviously doing so well,” he says, sarcasm dripping from his tone.

Louis looks pleased, smug. “You’re laying too close to the front of the board,” he explains. “You have to have an even weight distribution on the board and you’ll balance. You’re putting too much on the front so when the wave hits you, it lifts the back of the board and the nose dips into the water and your being flung off the board. Make sense?”

“I guess,” Harry grumbles. He gets on the board and Louis tuts. “What?”

“Scoot back a bit. You’re still putting too much weight on the front.” Harry shimmies himself down the board until Louis holds up a hand. “There. Perfect. Now when you stand—“

“I can’t even stay on the board, let alone stand, Louis,” he interrupts.

“Yes you will!” Louis chuckles. “When you do, aim for right here.” He points to the centre of the board. “Make sure you stand pretty quickly too. It’s all in the quads, focus your weight on them. I know you’ve got good legs Harold, I’d be wearing them tiny little shorts if I looked like you too. Put them to good use.”

Harry doesn’t get to answer before Louis is spinning his board around and he’s facing the shore.

“Paddle! A good one’s coming, quickly!”

“Okay, okay.”

The wave hits and the board follows the force. He determinedly pushes himself onto his knees, eyes wide as he realises _I’m doing it_. He stands, feet solidly planted on the board for around one second before he loses his balance and tips into the water.

He emerges with a huge smile on his face. “I fucking did it! Louis, did you see? I stood!”

“See, I told you! Just got to work on holding it and you’ve got it down pat!”

He doesn’t get it down pat but he does end up standing up a few more times, once for a whole wobbly few seconds. He counts it as win.

They’re out in the waves for around an hour and a half before the instructor rounds them in, declaring that the weather appears to be taking a turn and for safety reasons, he regretfully informs them that the session is over. Harry looks to the sky, the bright blue having shifted into an eerie grey, sun hidden behind a flock of angry looking clouds. He hadn’t even noticed.

Zayn lowly whistles and they trudge out of the water, board secured under their arms. “This weather is familiar. Feels like we’re back home with the beautiful grey sky.”

“I’m glad we’re finally having some shit weather,” Louis declares. “Was beginning to think Australia had perfect weather all the time. Refreshing to know that even Australians have to deal with this shit too.”

“Personally, I’d much rather it be sunny right now, thank you very much,” Niall adds. “I was beginning to really get the hang of it there, too. Could’ve been the next Kelly Slater, I could’ve!”

Louis snorts. “A pale, dramatically under-muscled Kelly Slater.”

“But with more hair!” Niall shoots back with a grin, seemingly not at all offended by Louis’ dig.

By the time they return the boards and make it back to the sand to grab their stuff, rain is already beginning to trickle from the sky and a steady stream of people are retreating from the beach. They hastily gather their things before descending back from the seas edge, drudging through the sand as it squeaks with each step, the dry grains sticking to their wet skin.

The first rumble of thunder makes Harry jump. It’s soon followed by a flash of lightning and a rather gusty blow of wind, the rain absolutely tumbling down now, Harry having to squint against it to make out their path.

They take refuge from the rain under a pavilion off to the side of the Surf Life Saving Club, huddling together against the weather. There’s a rather itchy combination of dried salt, sand and rain water on his body, his shorts waterlogged and heavy and his towel riddled with sand. He misses the sunshine already.

“Wonder what Liam and Soph are up to,” Harry sighs, longing for shower and some proper shelter from the rain.

“God, I don’t want to know.” Niall grimaces.

Harry rolls his eyes. “I just meant that their probably not soaking wet and— “

“Probably are,” Louis interrupts with a smirk.

“God, you’re all so annoying,” Harry chuckles, shaking his head. “This doesn’t look like it’s going to ease up any time soon.”

“I say we brave it,” Louis declares before he’s shooting out of the pavilion and into the rain, Harry, Niall and Zayn hastily scrambling after him.

When Harry catches up to him, he mindlessly takes Louis hand in his, not even processing the action before their fingers are locked together. Louis simple turns to him with a smile, squeezing his hand and dragging him along the beach line, towards the hostel.

*******

**CONTIKI DAY 7**

Today the weather is back to bright and sunny, not a single cloud in the sky and not one clue to the downpour they had just yesterday. The group are at Billabong Zoo today, a wildlife park located in central Port Macquarie, home to an array of native Australian species, most prominently- koalas.

Holding a koala is not quite like Harry thought it would be. For starters, it’s fur is less coarse than it appears, soft and warm in his arms. However, in Koalas case, the camera does not add ten pounds and it feel very much heavier than the photos he has seen, deceives. To be fair, he’d certainly put on a bit of weight if he slept for 20 plus hours a day. Lucky koalas.

The keeper—passing Zuko the koala around to each of the curious travellers—is a grumpy man who gets quite offended when Sophia refers to it as a ‘koala bear’, amending that they are very much _not_ bears and in fact marsupials. Though he appears to be sick of correcting the common misconception to clueless tourists, he does go on to rather extensively ‘brief’ them about how they’re a thickset arboreal marsupial herbivore, and how they’re the only extant representative of the Phascolarctidae family. Or something like that, they all kind of just smile and nod.

He’s held and had his photo with the koala and the keeper has just assisted him in safely passing little Zuko along to Liam who looks a little frightened of the teddy bear impersonating animal.

“Is it true they have chlamydia?”

The keeper sighs, looking moments away from a blatant eye roll. “They often do carry the chlamydia virus, yes.”

Naturally, just as Liam is warming up to the idea of holding the creature, it pisses all over his shirt. They’re all in hysterics as Liam shrieks and chants “take it off me” on a continuous, frantic loop. Even the irritable keeper cracks a smile.

“I can’t, you know, catch anything for him, can I?” Liam asks in a joking manner, though the nervous look in his eye gives him away as anything but joking.

The keeper just winks.

Harry’s favourite part of the day is definitely the kangaroos. There’s an enclosure, open to the public, where you can hang out, pet and feed the creatures. They’re all really chilled out, laying around and not batting a single eyelash at all the humans passing through their home.

Harry settles himself next to a rather small one, perhaps not even fully grown, on a patch of grass under a tree. They hang out for a while and Harry takes a selfie with him, not sure whether it’s funny or sad that the roo is obviously so accustomed to pictures that he knows where to look into the camera. His mum will appreciate the picture regardless.  

 ***

**CONTIKI DAY 8**

 “Ah! I’m home!” Nathan cheers. They’ve been driving non-stop for five hours and they’ve just passed a quirky, wooden sign which welcomed them to Byron Bay, Nathan’s home town.

Louis has been asleep next to him for the better part of the entire drive and Harry decides he should probably wake him up now. He runs his fingers through Louis’ hair, a little rumpled but soft and silky under his fingers.

“Louis,” he whispers, fingers still in his hair and his thumb lightly stroking his forehead. Louis takes a deep breath in as he wakes, screwing his eyes further closed and scrunching his eyebrows together. “We’re almost there,” Harry explains, a little apologetically.

“Okay,” Louis rasps. “Gimme a second.”

Harry pulls Louis’ head onto his shoulder, wrapping an arm around him and rubbing his outer bicep. “That’s okay, we’re not quite there yet. Take your time.”

Louis hums, snuggling his face into the crook of Harry’s neck. Goosebumps spring to Harry’s skin. 

Louis inhales deeply through his nose, Harry’s neck recoiling and shoulder lifting at the tickly sensation against his skin. “You smell good,” Louis mumbles into his neck, voice muffled and sleep riddled.

Harry grins, pulling Louis in tighter. “I very highly doubt that. I’ve been sweating constantly for 9 days straight.”

Louis opens his eyes for the first time, blinking rapidly as he adjusts to the light. He twists his head to rest his chin against Harry shoulder, sleepy blue eyes gazing up at him.

“Maybe your sweat smells good.”

Harry laughs, Louis’ head bouncing on his shoulder with the motion. “I can assure you, my sweat does not smell good. It smells like, well,” he raises his eyebrows, widening his eyes as he says, “sweat.”

“Sweat can smell good,” Louis rebuts, lifting his from Harry’s shoulder and instead swinging his legs on top of Harry’s thighs. He leans back against the window.

Harry grips Louis right knee in his hand, fingers smoothing the light dusting of hair there. “In what world does sweat smell good?”

“Well not sweat, per se, but a natural stink can be nice.”

“The word ‘stink’ is never used in a positive light,” Harry refutes, scrunching his nose.

Louis throws his head back against the window on a laugh, stretching out the column of his throat, the skin there a lighter shade to the rest of his body. “Are you being difficult on purpose?” He squints at him. “I can’t tell.”

Harry splutters a laugh, giving his knee a little tap. “No, I just don’t think body odour smells particularly good.”

“Hmm, interesting.”

Harry shakes his head. “You’re strange.”

***

Black spots dance across Harry’s vision as they step into the smoothie bar, eyes adjusting to the dim light after spending all morning on the beach. He steps up to the counter, ordering himself a ‘Super Green Green Smoothie’, wholly looking forward to putting some goodness back into his body and giving it a bit of a cleanse from all the fried food and alcohol he’s been consuming since arriving in Australia.

Byron Bay has a real hippy vibe. They’ve come across an array of characters and Harry’s spent the better part of the morning people watching, getting a feel for the atmosphere and energy. The first thing he picked up is that everyone here is very mellow and easy going and the life-style is as slow as a snail. Everyone he’s met been very friendly and carefree, all content taking it as it all comes, soaking in the positive atmosphere.

“Let me guess what’s in that creation,” Louis says, eying his bright green smoothie with great displeasure. He takes a sip of his own chocolate concoction before he continues, “Grass, seaweed, Brussel sprouts, leaves.” He counts each off on his fingers, a self-satisfied smirk proudly poised on his lips. He’s tone is serious when he asks, “Did I miss any?”

“Ha,” Harry deadpans. “It’s actually mostly banana and mango with a few greens thrown in but that was very creative.”

“Can I have a sip?” Louis asks, not waiting for a reply before he’s plucking the drink out of Harry’s hand, pursing his lips around the straw and sucking a generous sip. Harry’s eyes are drawn to the motion. “Yep, I was right. Gross. Suspicions confirmed.”

Harry huffs a laugh, taking the drink back and taking a sip of his own. “Whatever. Enjoy all your calories.”

“Happily!” Louis quips, wrapping his arm around Harry’s shoulders and guiding them out the store, Sophia, Liam, Niall and Zayn waiting for them there.

They go on the Cape Byron Lighthouse walk, as recommended to them by Nathan, a trek through rainforest and across clifftops with stunning views of the ocean and hinterland. They learn when they make it to the monument built in the 19th century that this point is special not just for the lighthouse and the incredible views, but it is actually most significant because it is the most easterly land point in Australia.  

The lookout points are phenomenal. The water is a deep blue-green, the colour that much more intensified by the slightly overcast sky, certain spots shimmering with bits of the sun poking through the clouds. He catches Louis gaze and thinks that his eyes rival the colour of the sea.

“Mum! Look! Dolphins!” A young girl in a bright yellow sundress squeals, jumping up and down besides Harry. She’s swinging her hot pink bucket hat around with one hand, her other safely secured in her mother’s.

Harry follows the girls gaze and is amazed to see, right below the cliff line, two—maybe 3—dolphins breaching the surface of the water, swimming and leaping around.

“Guys,” Harry says, pointing to the pod of dolphins. “There’s dolphins!” 

“What? Where?”

“Right down there!”

“Wow! That’s incredible,” Sophia whispers, in awe. She’s leaning so far over the cliffs safety barrier that Liam turns a little white, reaching out to hold her in place by around the hips. “I’ve never seen wild dolphins before!”

Harry feels a hand land on his shoulder and he turns, the mother of the child looking back at him with a soft smile. “First time in Byron?”

“We just got in this morning,” Harry explains with a grin. “It’s incredible here. The whole country is, your home is very beautiful.”

“We’re very lucky. Couldn’t think of a better place to raise my little ones.” She smiles down at the little girl, hand stroking through her wispy blonde hair.  

Harry crouches down to her level. “Thank you for pointing out the dolphins, little miss. We don’t live near the beach so we don’t get to see dolphins very often.”

“That’s okay!” The girl chirps, pride clear in her eyes. “You talk different.”

Harry chuckles. “I do! I’m from England. Do you know where that is?”

“Mary Poppins!” She exclaims as answer.

“Yes, very good! Mary Poppins is from England!”

“And the Queen! And the Princesses and Princes!” She’s jumping up and down now, her mother watching on with a tender smile.

“Them too! You’re very smart!” Harry mock gasps.

“I go school now!” she tells him excitedly.  Holding up two fingers, she says, “I’m in grade 2 this year!”

“Wow! That’s exciting. Do you like school?”

She nods excitedly. “Yep! I’m going to be a doctor when I’m older.”

“Really?” Harry gasps, the little girl nodding even faster. “You must be very, very smart!”

“She is,” her mother interjects. Harry stands back to her height. “Set’s her mind to anything, she will achieve it.”

Harry is about to reply when a hand lands of the centre of his back.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Louis says apologetically. “We’re heading back love. Need to be back soon to meet everyone for dinner.”

“Okay,” he answers softly before turning back to the mother-daughter duo, the mother watching him and Louis with a soft smile. “It was very nice meeting you both.”

“You too, enjoy the rest of your trip hun!”

He waves goodbye before he follows after Louis, wrapping an arm around his shoulder earning an arm around his waist in return.

*******

**CONTIKI DAY 10**

 “Liam, I love you but pacing isn’t going to make the line move any faster. Chill out.”

Liam stops in his tracks at Niall’s words, placing a hand over his heart. “I have been waiting for this day for the entire trip,” Liam scolds. “Don’t you dare mock me.”

They’re at Movie World or as the sign, lined by a row of palm trees, proclaimed: ‘ _Hollywood on the Gold Coast’_. Nathan had told them this morning that of the five, _five,_ amusement parks on the Gold Coast, Movie World is by far the most popular, the one that tourists are usually most excited about. Harry himself has never been a huge fan of this sort of attraction, even as a child he was not particularly interested in the rides and games. He has been to Disneyland Paris twice, once as a child and once just last year, and it was _okay_ , just not his favourite. All the other Contiki members were just about rocking the van with excitement on the drive here which built up his own excitement to a satisfactory level.

Liam is apparently particularly excited if the sight of him having to expel energy by doing star jumps while they wait to be granted entry into the park is anything to go by. Harry doesn’t particularly get it but he’s amused by it nonetheless.

It takes about twenty minutes before they’re walking through the gates, stopping to pose in front of the Movie World sign before entering the park. There’s a good energy inside, it’s not too crowded—probably since the park only just opened—but there are enough happy faces milling about and joyful voices filling up the spacious courtyard for Harry to get a little bit of a spring in his step.

“Right! I grabbed a map on the way in so I suggest that we first figure out what we want to the most,” Liam says in his best leader voice. He sounds a bit like Nathan, Harry thinks. “Then we can work our way through. That way we won’t miss out on anything we want to do. Oh! We should mark them off too! And—“ Liam cuts himself off mid-sentence as Louis snatches the map out of his hand, folding the obscenely large paper into a little square and shoving it into Liam’s shorts pocket.

“Fuck the map, Liam,” Louis points to the very first ride visible as they’d walked in, a vertical tower with a batman symbol sitting proudly on top. “I see this first. We go on this first. It’s that simple.”

Liam huffs, “Whatever. I’m only agreeing because it’s batman, though.”

“Great! You would’ve picked it first anyway!” Louis grins.

They get in line, only about a dozen people in front of them and wait. Harry watches in horror as the ride takes off for the first time, shooting off at an unbelievable pace from the ground almost all the way to the top of the 60-metre tower.

“Uh. Do any of you want me to hold your stuff?” Harry asks already ducking under the chain barrier of the line, legs unconsciously backing away from the ride. “Think I’m going to sit this one out.”

“Harry, no! Come back!” Louis whines, fist gripping the front of Harry’s t-shirt as he attempts to pull him back over the chain. Harry’s feet skid forwards as his leans back and detaches Louis’ hand from his shirt. “Harry! Don’t pussy out already! It’s the first ride, c’mon.”

Harry looks back to the ride, tilting his head back as the tower seems to grow from 60-metres to 600-metres. His head shakes on its own accord.

“Nope. Not happening. Next one! I promise!”

Turns out, the next one is even worse. It’s called the Superman Escape and is the longest rollercoaster Harry has ever seen, painted an angry red, featuring so many terrifyingly steep dips and sharp turns that Harry questions the safety of it. It doesn’t help that Liam, Zayn, Niall, Louis and Sophia currently seem to be experiencing some kind of adrenaline high from the stupid batman ride and are positively thrumming with excited energy. It made him feel sick just watching it.

The Superman Escape experience apparently begins from the indoor line. The scene is set in New York on the underground Subway. There’s a voice talking over the speakers, something about a direct line to Metropolis Square mixed in with some warnings about G forces and extraordinary speeds. Harry is shaking with nerves, wary to not lift his arms and bare the sweat patches that are undoubtedly forming under his arms.

This thing goes from 0 to 100km in 2 fucking seconds for God’s sake.

“You’re shaking, babe,” Louis says, voice calm and soothing, wrapping both of his hands around Harry’s. “Chill. It’s just a ride.”

“I know. I just don’t like rollercoasters,” Harry sighs. Louis hands on his seem to ground him enough for his shoulder to slump and the tight line of his back to relax and even out.

“This whole thing,” he gestures around the room, from the warning signs on the walls to the fast approaching front of the line, “this whole build up is just making me anxious. I know I’m being stupid, kids can go on this for God’s sake. Ignore me.”

“Hey, not stupid.” Louis sooths, stepping further into Harry’s space as he drops his hands and wraps his arms around his upper back, chin hooked over his shoulder. “I don’t want to ignore you. I can assure you though it’ll be fine. We can sit next to each other and you can squeeze my hand the entire time if you need. Okay?”

Harry nods as Louis slips out of the embrace only to latch back onto both of Harry’s hands. It’s comforting, but it also makes Harry’s heart beat just that little bit faster and his palms sweat a tiny bit more. It does its job of distracting him from the ride, though it just swirls his mind in another direction, one he doesn’t really want to go into.

As compassionate as Louis sounded, as soon as the line begins moving again Louis drops his hands like they are hot and his attention is instantly lost. Harry couldn’t help but roll his eyes; Louis is the textbook definition of a man child. By the way Sophia is shaking her head at the similar excitement of Liam, Harry only thinks it’s fair to assume the same for him.

Harry and Louis end up in the third row from the front on the ride and as dejected as Louis looks at not snagging the front, Harry is definitely pleased.

Unlike the other rollercoasters that Harry’s previously been on, this one begins indoors nice and slowly. The ride is actually quite amazing. The design is phenomenal and it is clear that the whole ‘experience’ was the main consideration in the creation of the ride. This whole production must have cost millions, not even taking into consideration how much it must be to run.

They’re on the subway in New York and the underground is caving in. Frantic voices sound over the speakers.

“Attention, attention, the earth tremors are increasing. Move the train to Metropolis Square.”

“Tremors in the subway are getting worse, proceed with caution.”

“Earth quake alert, earth quake alert. Do not stop at Metropolis Square, I repeat do not stop at Metropolis Square”

There are more voices talking over each other, there’s an entryway with bursting pipes, water spilling from the behind and a pair of police cars crashing through the roof, sirens wailing.

“Keep away from Metropolis Square.”

Harry’s heart is racing as they approach the end of the road, the actual rollercoaster portion of the ride imminent.

“We need help at MRT, the whole place is caving in!”

The opening becomes visible, the one light at the end of the tunnel Harry does not want to head towards. The cart stops about 15 meters from the opening as the voices over the speakers become frantic until one sounds over the rest, “It’s Superman!”

Harry reaches out and takes Louis hand in his between their seats. Louis gives his hand a squeeze.

It’s silent for a moment before a deep, calm voice tells them, “Don’t worry folks, this is Superman. I’ll get you out of here. Fast. Superman fast.”

The ride shoots off at a breath-taking speed, Harry’s head snapping back against the headrest and a scream gets caught in his throat. They go up the hill first and the drop on the way down makes Harry’s stomach sway in an unpleasant way.

He can just make out gleeful cackles coming from next to him and manages a smile at the sound. He steels himself around the bends and holds Louis hand tight on the dips and when the ride eventually comes to a rather abrupt stop he’s smiling. His hair is an absolute disaster but he’s smiling.

“Wasn’t so bad, was it?” Louis asks, swinging his legs back and forth as they wait for the ride to come to a complete stop and to be released from their harnesses.

“It wasn’t,” he agrees. “I’ve done it now though and I never have to do it again.”

“Oh Styles, the day is just begging.”

Louis flashes him a mischievous smile before their harnesses are being unclipped and he’s slipping his hand out of Harry’s and exiting the ride.

***

“There’s a show that starts at 1:30,” Liam says, ridiculously large map of the park spread out in front of his face. His nose is almost touching the glossy paper as he reads it over with the concentration one would have while defusing a bomb, eyebrows pinched together and eyes focused. “Hollywood stunt driver show. Australia’s best stunt crew, Showtime FMX have taken extreme precision driving, comedy and action and rolled it into a side splitting, action-packed movie making adventure which is sure to have you on the edge of your seat,” he reads. “Sick.”

Harry pulls his phone out the front pocket of his backpack. “It’s just gone 1. If you wanted to go we should probably head there now.”

Liam flips the map upside down, tilts his head sideways with a triumphant, “ah huh! This way.” He points to their left, standing from the seat and marching down the main street without taking his eyes off the map causing a few other park goers to have to step out of his way.

There’s a bunch of pre-show entertainment with crowd participation, from a good old Mexican wave to a round of kiss cam. Harry is bent in half with laughter at an old couple, looking to be well into their 80’s, putting on quite the show for the kiss cam when he feels a few claps on his back from the row behind theirs.

Harry looks up to see his own face projected back at him with Sophia on his left, their faces bordered by the love heart of the kiss cam. Laughter bubbles out of him as he shakes his head, pushes Sophia by her shoulder into Liam on her other side and frantically gestures between the couple. They’re still on the screen and Sophia is laughing too when she turns back to him, raises her eyebrows and pushes him away from her into Louis on his other side. Suddenly the camera pans out, Liam and Louis now visible on the screen and the crowd cheers even louder. Sophia quickly caves, gripping Liam’s neck in both hands, tilting her head and planting a smacking kiss against her boyfriend’s lips. The crowd cheers them on and Harry waits for the camera to move in on the next kiss cam victim. Instead, it stays in place and zooms in on just him and Louis, apparently not done with tormenting them. Harry leans back into Sophia’s side trying to evict himself from the image, however Louis pulls him back in, laughing heartily along with everyone else in the stands watching their interaction in HD. Louis raises an eyebrow, pulling Harry’s face close to his. His grin is bordering on manic when he leans in and plants loud, over exaggerated kiss against his cheek, right by the corner of his mouth. Close enough that on camera, it probably looked real.

“Was that so hard?” Louis smirks, clapping his cheek twice before turning back to watch the screen.

Harry stares back at him, frozen, for a good 10 seconds before he forcibly removes his eyes. When he does, the kiss cam has already come to a close and the show is beginning.

The best way Harry would describe the main actor would be like a game-show host, interacting with the crowd as if she was the teacher of a class of pre-schoolers. If it wasn’t so entertaining it would probably be patronising. The acting makes him cringe a little bit but she’s enthusiastic and he’s amused nonetheless. 

The idea of the show is that the audience is on the set of a new action movie as extras, shooting one scene. They play out a robbery, police cars and felonious motorbikes skidding around the asphalt, the tell-tale smell of hot rubber pungent even from the distance. There’s sirens, gun shots and a massive explosion, a collective ‘ _whoa’_ sounding across the stands as the heat of the controlled blaze seeps into the audience in a wave.

Its action packed and exciting but it’s a good laugh too. The show lasts for about 25 minutes before they regretfully move back onto Liam’s list of rides.

***

Harry had forgotten that arrival on the Gold Coast meant that two nights of sleeping in an actual bed and a hotel room all to himself, but the surprise was quite glorious and thoroughly welcomed.

They’re staying in Surfers Paradise which has been lovingly dubbed the number one party destination by its local residents and they’re all excited to hopefully confirm that declaration, deciding to have a look that night. Harry has always loved a good night out—hanging out with friends, having a good drink and dancing until the early hours of the morning is something that he’s has yet to tire of.

Clubbing while travelling is especially fun because it’s always a totally different scene, different cultures choosing to party in different ways—different atmospheres, different music, different alcoholic concoctions. It’s also a great way to meet people and catch a glimpse of life in a different city from a new angle. It’s just like Gemma used to say, the way people spend their nights says more about their characters than how they spend their days.

They’re currently hanging out/ pre-gaming/ getting ready to go out in Sophia and Liam’s room. Niall and Liam lounging on the double bed, Zayn quietly snoozing in the over-stuffed armchair in the corner, Louis spread out on the floor on his phone (probably sending his family updates), Sophia applying her makeup in the bathroom while Harry watches on from where he’s perched on the vanity, careful not to let his jeans catch on the hair straighter cooling next to the sink. He has bottle of some fruity, vodka combo that Sophia had bought resting between his legs which is doing its job of perking him up after a tiring day as he prepares for a long night.

“Look alright?” Sophia asks as she screws her mascara wand back into the tube. She smacks her lips together, smoothing the product on them. “The red lip not too much?”

“You look great. And nah, you look very classy. It suits you,” Harry says.

“Aw, thankyou Hun.” She winks, waving the blood red tube around. “I bet it would suit you too.”

Harry raises his eyebrows. “No. Not a chance you’re putting that on me. I may be gay but that doesn’t mean I want to play makeup with you. Or go out looking like a drag queen.”

“Aw, no fun.” Sophia pouts. “You’d be a very pretty drag queen if it means anything. The prettiest. All the guys would be after you. You’d get yourself any Australian bloke you wanted.”

“You saying I can’t get one with my,” Harry runs a hand through his hair, fluffing it over his shoulders before levelling Sophia with the most suggestive stare he can manage without breaking and dissolving into a fit of giggles, “natural beauty.”

“Did you just give me your bed eyes?” Sophia giggles. “I think you just gave me your bed eyes.”

“Nope,” Harry says, popping the p.

“Darling, you were basically batting your eyelashes. And pouting.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Sophia playfully smacks the top of his thigh. “Really though, are you going to try and pull? Got a hotel room all to yourself, perfect opportunity.” She wiggles her eyebrows, a sly smirk on her painted lips.

Harry chuckles bashfully, twirling the ring on his middle finger around. “No, I don’t think so. I kind of just want to hang out with all of you, you know? Have fun with my Contiki family.”

“You say that now but then you’ll get out, get a few drinks in you and see all the hot Australian guys. Think of all that sun-kissed skin and beachy hair,” Sophia sighs longingly.

Harry squints at her suspiciously. “Should I be telling Liam about this?”

Sophia taps him on the arm, levelling him with an unimpressed gaze. “Easy now. I’m just trying to be a good friend and this is how you repay me? Maybe Niall is right.”

“Right about what?”

“You and Louis.”

“You’ve got to be joking, we’re back on this again? I swear to you Soph, I _swear_ ,” Harry’s voice is firm and final, leaving no room for dispute. “Louis and I are not together. Never have been for that matter. We had seriously never even met until the first day of the Contiki. The day I met you. In fact, about ten minutes before I met you. I _promise_.”

 “Okay, okay, I believe you. I believe you.” Sophia rolls her eyes. She looks smug at the reaction she drew out of him. “There definitely is chemistry there though that you can’t deny. You’d be the cutest couple and what a great meeting story that would be! Two Brits, soul mates, coming together on the other side of the world. Fate, I’d say. You were lead to each other in the most extravagant of ways.”

Harry groans, tilting his head back against the mirror. “That’s a bit far. We’re just friends, not bloody soul mates.”

“You don’t have to be together to be soul mates, silly!” Sophia gasps dramatically. She looks scandalised, eyes wide and hand poised against her chest. “I reckon everyone has more than one soul mates in life, like Liam is my soul mate _and_ lover, sure, but my best friend Katie is _also_ my soul mate and we’re _friends_. You get me?”

Harry raises his eyebrows. “How do you even know I believe in soul mates?”

“Oh please. You’re such an old romantic, you definitely believe in soul mates. And I think you know Louis is one and that’s why you’re being difficult, you little smart arse.”

“Whatever,” Harry says shortly, eager to end this conversation. It’s making him feel itchy. “I need to go back to my room to get changed to go out. So I can pull. Because I suddenly don’t want to hang out with you anymore. And Louis is not my soul mate.”

He downs the remainder of his drink resolutely not thinking about the lingering tingle in his cheek where Louis’ lips had touched earlier.

“Ha, bloody, ha. Be quick then.”

“I would be quick but you made this bathroom so bloody hot with your blow dryer and iron that my hair has gone all frizzy. I need to fix it.”

“No point,” Sophia tuts, “as soon as you walk outside in the humidity, you’re back to square one. Embrace the frizz, honey!”

Harry sticks his tongue out at her before he jumps off the vanity, Sophia smacking his bum as he heads for the door leading to the main area of the hotel room. Zayn and Liam are the only ones still in the room, Zayn still sleeping and Liam quietly scrolling through his phone. When Harry walks into the room, Liam looks up from his phone.

“Niall and Louis have just headed out to get ready. I take it you’re doing the same?”

“Yeah, I’ll be back in a mo’”

When Harry returns to the room a mere 15 minutes later, dressed, freshened up and hair adequately primped, Niall and Louis are back and Zayn has woken up and just headed off to get dressed.

He’s greeted back into the room by an unenthusiastic look from Niall. “I’m sensing a pattern with your obsession with bad shirts, mate. Like an actual pattern. Who wears flower patterned shirts un-ironically?

“Hey,” Harry says, dragging out the vowel. He scans his eyes over the rest of the guys in the room, three variations of dark jeans and monochromatic t-shirts staring back at him. Typical.  “This is legitimately my shirt. I spent a lot of money on it. It’s designer.”

Just then, as he’s pouting down at his outfit, Zayn re-enters the room. He stops in the doorway, gaze on Harry and eyebrows raised. “What is 70s Mick Jagger doing in our room?”

“Bloody hell!” Louis cries, eyes wide. He steps in front of Harry, grabbing his face between both of his hands, his eyes flitting wildly as he closely inspects his face. “Why am I only noticing that resemblance now? You’re basically a baby Mick! I could’ve been calling you Jagger this whole time! Fuck, I feel like I’ve failed you and your nicknames?”

Sophia scoffs. “As if you haven’t noticed that? I’m convinced he’s actually his kid or like, him reincarnated or something?”

“Soph, Mick Jagger isn’t dead. Do you know what reincarnated means?”

Harry rolls his eyes. “You can make fun all you like but I’m only hearing compliments. Comparisons to the front man of one of, if not the most, legendary Rock & Roll bands of all time? Yes, please. Thank you, kind friends.” Harry blows an individual kiss to everyone is the room. It’s possible that he is already slightly tipsy. “Now. Are we all ready to leave?”

The hotel is only about a 15-minute walk from the main strip of clubs so they decide to venture out on foot. It’s a particularly warm night, the moon full and casting a warm light in accompaniment with the non-shortage of street lights, making for a bright and clear night.

The night starts out with tequila which rarely has a good ending for Harry. So far in Australia, Harry has mainly stuck to beer which is good, don’t get him wrong, but tonight he’s going all out.

Their chosen club has already almost reached full capacity, despite the night only just beginning, so there is a great energy building already. The music is good too, a good mix of current pop chart toppers and electronic crowd pleasers.

They’re on shot number two when Louis pulls their group into a huddle. “Okay so, you’re all probably wondering why I’ve brought us here tonight— “

“You didn’t?” Zayn frowns. “We all agreed that— “

“The reason is that we’re on a mission tonight my friends.” He holds up his shot glass, gesturing for everyone else to do the same. They take the shot and Harry only grimaces slightly at the burn, immediately sucking the provided lemon slice into his mouth. “Operation find a girl and get Harry laid.”

Harry groans, knocking his forehead into Louis shoulder.

“Um. Am I missing something? Isn’t he gay?” Liam just about whispers the last word. Well, he shouts it at a lesser volume than the rest of the question but in the loud club, that is the equivalent to a whisper.

Louis rolls his eyes. “Yes, Liam. I’m aware. Dearest Harry here confided in me a few nights ago that he’s never hooked up with a girl and he simply can’t go through life without having the classic gay awakening moment. It just won’t do, Liam.”

“For fucks sake, I can’t keep up with you two.”

 ***

More shots and colourful concoctions in fancy glasses later, Harry is well and truly drunk. On the good side of drunk though. Not the ‘I’m going to throw up and then pass out’ drunk, but the type of drunk where everything is funny and everyone just kind of needs a hug. The good kind of drunk.

Him and Louis are waltzing around the room between each group of girls, Louis scarily resembling Barney from _How I Met Your Mother_ as he attempts to get Ted laid. But it’s Harry he’s getting laid and Harry is gay and not interested and Louis is becoming increasingly more frustrated the more times Harry is turned down.

“Fucking hell. Why is everyone saying no?” Louis groans. He sounds dejected, like maybe he’s giving up. “You’re a catch! You’ve got a posh boy accent and pretty curls. It shouldn’t be this hard.”

Personally, Harry doesn’t understand the frustration. He’s having a great time talking to new people and all the girls have been lovely, showing his hair some appreciation and complimenting him on his outfit.

“You think I’m a catch?”

Louis squints at him. “Not the point, Harry!”

Harry giggles, reaching out to bop Louis on the nose. “You’re cute when you’re all frustrated. I like your little frown.”

Louis presses his lips together and sighs through his nose. He grabs Harry’s hand, pulling him away from the bar. Harry has just enough time to swoop his Mojito from the bar top before he’s being dragged through a sea of people swaying and grinding on each other on the dance floor and to the booth they had managed to snag earlier. Niall, Liam, Zayn and Sophia are still there.

“No luck?” Niall raises a knowing brow, smirk on his lips.

Louis gives him the finger as he slides into the booth. Harry follows after him, body pressed close to Louis’.

“I’m going to make this happen, don’t you worry. He just needs a pep talk is all. And someone to fucking cut him off,” Louis declares, yanking Harry’s drink out of his hand as he poises it to his lips. Louis downs the rest in one gulp.

“Hey.” Harry pouts, resting his head on Louis shoulder. “I paid for that.”

“I’m trying to get you laid here!”

“Harry, love,” Sophia addresses him across the table. She lays her hand on top of his on the table. “Do _you_ even want to get laid?”

Harry smirks, turning back to Louis, he says, “Nope.”

Louis rolls his eyes. “Too bad. Give me one more chance. And stop complimenting girls on their makeup. No girl is going to want to suck a guy’s dick who gives them tips on what eyeshadow shade would best compliment their complexion. That guy gets friend zoned.”

“That was one girl!” Harry defends, hands held in front of him. “The shade was too red for her, made her look like she had an infection! I was just trying to help out.”

“Louis,” Liam pointedly widens his eyes towards a couple of girls leaning against the back wall of the club. “Those birds over there have been watching our booth all night, have you given them a try?”

“They’re not birds, Liam, they’re people. I don’t like that term,” Harry frowns.

“Thankyou Mr Feminism, now let’s go,” Louis says, eying the girls determinedly as he gives Harry a shove out of the booth, Harry stumbling a little before he gets his footing. He lets Louis drag him away again because to be quite honest, he’s having fun. He’s enjoying having all of Louis’ attention like this.

“Hello ladies, how are you both this lovely evening?”

The girls look between each other, a silent conversation seems to be had with just their eyes before they’re turning back to him and Louis. “We’re good. I’m Lily and this is Ebony, you are?”

Louis grins and Harry is fascinated by the way his eyebrows pull down at the ends with the motion. The way the little crinkles beside his eyes deepen. It’s nice to look at.

“I’m Louis and this, my friends,” he grandly gestures towards him in a very unsubtle way, “is Harry.”

The girls look between him and Louis before slowly nodding. “Nice to meet you both,” the other one says.

In the end, Louis fails. They talk for a while before Louis hints at his quest, both of the girls eyes widening before they’re giggling. Yeah, not exactly the reaction Louis has been searching for. Harry can’t help his own smirk.

“Sorry, sorry,” Ebony apologises. “We just thought you two were together is all,” she shrugs.

Then they’re both politely declining his offer and slipping back to the bar. It’s actually kind of nice, Harry thinks. That someone else, someone outside of their little group can see this _thing_ between him and Louis. It’s oddly reassuring, in a weird way, to have some proof that he’s not making up this pull he feels towards him.

“Louis. Please give up,” Harry giggles, taking Louis by the shoulders. “You tried. You failed. Accept it.”

Louis shakes his head violently. It makes Harry a little dizzy just watching. “No, no, no. I’m not giving up until I get you something! Even just a God damn kiss. Were in a club for fucks sake!”

Harry slips his hands over Louis shoulder before wrapping him in a hug. “I don’t want to kiss a girl, Louis.”

“Seriously, Harry,” Louis dislodges himself from the hug before he’s gesturing around the room. “If you could kiss anyone in this entire club, who would you pick?”

Harry feels simultaneously ten times drunker and ten times more sober when he says, “You.”

Louis just snorts though and Harry realises he thinks he’s joking. He points to something, someone probably, but Harry doesn’t look, doesn’t take his eyes off Louis, suddenly very determined. “What about the blonde over there. When we spoke to her you have to admit she seemed a— “

“I don’t want to kiss her, Louis, I want to kiss you.”

There is a moment where Louis doesn’t move a muscle and then grins, shaking his head on a snigger. “No you don’t, Harry.”

“I do,” Harry quickly retorts, stepping into Louis space and ducking his head down to Louis’ height. He doesn’t take his eyes off Louis’, dark and glistening in the dim light of the club.

Louis leans in then and Harry thinks _this is it_. Louis is about to kiss him. He closes his eyes in anticipation as he feels warm breath against his face. His lips part slightly as he feels Louis’ lips just shy of his own, right on the corner of his mouth, before they’re being dragged across his cheek and wet breath is being huffed against the shell of his ear.

“You’re drunk, Harry,” Louis whispers before pulling away all together and disappearing into the sea of people.

Harry is left standing there, lips parted, bewildered.  The alcohol swimming around in his bloodstream has made him lethargic and his mind has not quite caught up to his body when he begins to follow Louis further into the crowd. 

He spots him dancing with Sophia. They’re face to face, shimmying and swaying with both of their hands linked together. He makes a direct beeline towards them, other party goers on the dance floor be damned. He steps between them and puts his hands on both of Louis shoulders, pushing him back until they’re on the very edge of the dance floor.

“Kiss me, Louis.” Harry says, seriously and sternly, staring directly into Louis eyes. “I want to kiss you. I know you want to kiss me, too. Let me kiss you. Please”

Louis glances down at his feet. Harry follows his sight and he’s not sure why.

“Harry,” Louis says, running a shaky hand through his hair.

“Louis,” Harry shoots right back, leaning into his space. “You want to kiss me. I want to kiss you. Kiss me,” he says, simply.

Louis bites his lip before he’s sighing, taking a hold of Harry’s hand and dragging him off the dance floor. Harry’s heart rabbits in his chest as they pass the bar, Louis’ strides determined and fast with Harry stumbling behind him. He stops abruptly in the narrow hallway leading towards the bathroom, Harry crashing into him before he’s being pushed against the wall and Louis body is covering his, pinning him in place. They share an intense gaze as Harry’s hands land on the small of his back, pulling him in further before sliding them up the muscle, feeling it shift under the palms of his hands. He grips the sides of Louis neck and digs his thumbs into his pulse point. His heartbeat feels stronger than the heavy base inside the club.

“Kiss me,” Harry breathes.

This time Louis obliges. There is no hesitation before he’s is leaning in and lips plant against his own, drawing a high sigh from Harry.

Everything around them fades into white noise and all Harry can concentrate on is Louis’ hands on his waist and his lips on his own. The music is still blaring but all Harry can hear is the slick sound of their mouths and the little groans muffled between them.

The kiss is electric and Harry can feel the shocks all the way down to his toes. As Louis presses himself even closer, the contours of their bodies completely aligned, all Harry can think about in that moment is _more_.

“Let’s leave,” Harry pants into Louis mouth, not daring to break the kiss. “Go back to the hotel.”

Louis nods. “Yeah. Okay.”

It takes some time, but eventually they separate. Bypassing Liam, Sophia, Niall and Zayn, they shuffle through the crowded club hand in hand before they’re shrugging past the bouncer and onto the streets.

On the walk back to the hotel Harry thanks the heavens, physically angles his face towards the sky and tells the stars how very thankful he is for whatever higher power made this night one of the very few nights where they have the luxury and _privacy_ of a hotel room.  His dramatic performance, entirely fuelled by the alcohol swimming around his bloodstream (and the euphoria he feels at finally acting on this _thing_ that’s been building between him and Louis), pulls a cackling laugh out of Louis and they have to stop walking to compose themselves.

It takes a while, everything seemly _very_ funny, until Louis is pushing him up against the building they’ve stopped in front of and suddenly it isn’t funny and he’s very much _not_ laughing. He can’t even remember why they were laughing in the first place as his eyes zero in Louis lips, hovering in front of his.

The kiss is rough, full of lust. They’re breathing, hot and heavy, into each-other’s mouths and the taste of alcohol on their combining breath is potent but oh so addictive.

“Harry,” Louis huffs his name out on a laugh as Harry’s hands slip down to squeeze the lovely curve of Louis’ bum. It feels even lovelier than it looks. He covers Harry’s hands with his own, guiding them higher to sit in the dip of his back, Harry whining into Louis neck. “We need to get back to the hotel before I do very indecent things to do you in a very public place.”

“How much can a public indecency charge really be?” Harry quips as he leaves enticing kisses down the side of Louis neck.

Or apparently not so enticing as Louis pulls away from him completely then, instead taking his hand and pulling him away from the wall and down the street. Harry whines but he follows regardless, albeit a little wobbly on his feet.

The walk back to the hotel seems shorter than the walk from the hotel had seemed earlier. Their hands are still interlocked as they ride the elevator, only separating when Louis fishes his room card out of his pocket and pushes the door open.

Once inside, Harry deposits himself straight onto the bed in the centre of his room, shoes still on his feet and all. He toes them off, kicking them off the end of the bed before sitting up on his elbows and fixing Louis with the most alluring gaze he can manage.

Louis laughs.

“Hey. I’m trying to be sexy,” Harry pouts.

“Oh believe me, you’re very sexy. You’ve been driving me crazy.” Louis shakes his head, almost like he can’t quite believe he’s in this situation. Harry can relate. “Been wanting to get my hands on you for so fucking long.”

“Yeah?” Harry asks, unbuttoning his shirt as he speaks. “What are you still doing over there then?”

This seems to set Louis into action, eyes determined as he pops the button on his jeans, stripping out of them before he scrambles from the end of the mattress to Harry. He’s not particularly sexy about it but it makes Harry warm all over.

“Can’t believe you were the one to make the move. Can’t believe this is finally happening.”

Harry swipes his tongue over his lips. “Can’t believe you were trying to set me up with someone else all night.”

Louis laughs, whipping his shirt off like Harry’s seen him do so many times. “Can’t believe you want me.”

As soon as he’s in reaching distance, Harry grabs the back of his neck and pulling him in for a kiss, arm wrapping around his back to pull his body in closer to his.

This kiss is frantic and Louis stubble is rough against his cheeks, tantalising him with every drag, the need for _more_ building until he feels like he might combust if he doesn’t get some relief below the belt soon.

Harry takes initiative, liquid courage shining through as he wraps his legs around the top of Louis hip and flips him onto his back in one swift motion. Louis’ pupils are blown wide as they stare up at him, hair sprawled out on the pillow and mouth hanging open ever so slightly. He looks like they’ve already been going half the night.

“Can I give you a blowjob?”

Louis’ grin is wide and instant. He guides Harry’s face down to his with a firm hand on the back of the head, giving him one more tongue heaving kiss before he pulls back. “There’s nothing I want more than to see those lips on my cock,” he whispers right by Harry’s ear. Harry supresses a shiver though he can’t stop his hand from unconsciously pressing down against his fly, the little bit of pressure through the denim feeling like walking through the gates to heaven.

Harry takes his time making his way down Louis’ body, leaving hot, open-mouthed kisses mixed in with some playful nips on his descent. He settles himself between Louis’ legs, body flat against the mattress. Louis’ hand is still in the back of his hair as he palms his cock through his briefs.

“Good, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Louis nods and Harry takes that as his cue to hook his fingers under the waistband of Louis’ pants, watching intently as Louis’ cock is freed, slowly springing back to land against his stomach. He runs a single finger from base to tip, Louis sharp intake of air clearly audible.

“Don’t you fucking dare tease,” Louis says, his tone sharp, almost authoritative, in a way that makes Harry want to melt into a puddle. But more than anything though, it makes him want to comply.

He takes Louis into his fist, lowering his head to suckle at this head of his cock, tongue working around the edge of the crown. He tastes good, warm and heavy on Harry’s tongue as he begins working his mouth up and down his length.

Louis is vocal, Harry realises after only a couple of minutes. He’s cursing and grunting and releasing these high little moans that spur Harry on to hollow his cheeks firmer take him even deeper, relaxing his throat and revelling in the sensation of Louis cock nudging the back of his throat.

There’s a slight tug on the back of Harry’s hair where Louis’ hand is resting threaded in the long strands there. It felt like it may have even been accidental but it draws a deep moan from Harry, eyelids fluttering and hips pressing down harder against the mattress.

“You like that?” Louis breathes, giving him another tug, this time intentional and much sharper, the slight pain shooting straight down to Harry’s crotch, the heat settling in like wildfire. “Been itching to get my fingers in this hair. So beautiful. Just asking to be pulled.”

“Fuck. Yeah, please.” Harry pants as he pulls off Louis’ cock, hand picking up the slack and working him over with fast, even strokes.

When Louis comes, it’s with a shout, hand still in Harry’s hair though now he is stroking it, the motion tender as he squeezes his eyes closed and his cock pulsates in Harry’s hand. He strokes him through it as Louis breathes heavily, coming down from his orgasm.

Harry doesn’t even realise that he’s been rutting against the mattress until Louis is pulling him up the bed and the loss of friction is almost enough for him to pull back.

“You’re so fucking hard,” Louis says as he wraps his hand around Harry’s cock, pulling him off with a fast and sure motion, no beating around the bush. Harry hisses at the abrupt stimulation.

“Not going to last long.”

He draws him into a kiss, Louis’ tongue immediately pushing past his lips. Harry follows his lead. The kiss is messy with saliva and their teeth clash together a few times with their frantic movements but somehow, it’s feels like the best kiss Harry has ever had.

“Was right about this mouth,” Louis says as he pulls back, tracing over Harry’s lips with two fingers. Harry kisses them. How could he not? “So fucking obscene. God, look at you. Are you secretly a porn star?”

Harry manages a laugh, though it comes out breathless, more of a huff of air than anything. His breathing is laboured he can feel a flush working its way down his neck. “God, no.”

Louis smirks, “Hey nothing wrong with being a porn star.”

He raises his eyebrows. “Are _you_ secretly a porn star?”

“Nope,” Louis grins, bright and wide, hand still working over Harry’s cock in a corkscrew motion.

Harry can feel his orgasm fast approaching as his hips begin instinctively rocking into Louis fist. “Fuck, Louis. Just like that. Feels so good,” his voice cracks at the end, shifting into a whine.

His eyes squeeze closed as his cock begins to pulsate, not bothering to conceal the throaty noises spewing from his lips as Louis continues to pump him through his orgasm.

“Shit, you look so good like this Harry. So fucking beautiful,” Louis says as his hand comes to a halt. “Fuck.”

Harry falls back against the pillows. “Yeah. Fuck,” he agrees.

***

**CONTIKI DAY 11**

They wake up with their bodies facing one another. Louis’ head is tucked under Harry’s chin with an arm slung around his middle. The bed covers sit around their middles, wrapped tightly around their middles and Harry kind of feels like he’s suffocating in the heat of their two bodies but he also can’t find it in himself to move.

It’s a cliché, Harry thinks, waking up in the arms of a fit boy with a hard on poking into his hip and one of his own between his legs. He inches his hips forwards anyway, using Louis’ body to get some much needed pressure on his cock. Louis presses back and Harry realises he must be awake too.

“Wha’ time ‘sit?” Louis rasps, tightening his arm around Harry’s body.

Harry stretches his arm and leans over Louis’ body in a futile attempt to reach for his jeans, hazardously dropped on the floor, phone secured inside of front pocket. Instead, his armpit nestles over Louis’ face.

“Bleh. Get your sweaty armpit out of my face.” Louis rolls onto his stomach, pressing his nose into the pillow. His hair is sticking up every which way, the left side flat from where he slept on it and licking towards his ear.

Harry huffs a laugh, “Thought you liked the smell of sweat. How did you phrase it? My natural stink, was it?” Louis glares at him so he amends, “Sorry. Was trying to reach my phone to check the time.”

Louis groans as he lifts himself up and turns around, still laying down, reaching off the edge of the bed. “It’s only just after 7,” he yawns as he pulls back up.

“Ugh, we’ve only been asleep a few hours,” Harry groans. He wraps his arms around Louis’ middle, burying his head in Louis’ chest. “My head hurts.”

“You drunk a lot.”

“Too much,” Harry agrees.

“You don’t…” Louis trails off, voice delicately sleep raspy, lifting his head off the pillow where they face one another and scratching the back of his neck. He clears his throat. “Last night… I just— “

“What?”

“You remember what happened last night, right?”

Harry smiles bashfully, ducking his head and nodding slowly. “Yeah, I remember.”

Louis nods back. “And, like, you don’t like. Regret it?”

“No, I don’t regret it.” Harry replies seriously, gazing into Louis’ eyes. “I was drunk but I wanted it to happen. I wanted you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. By the way your cock is poking at me, I assume you feel the same way,” Harry smirks, raising his eyebrows. “Or at least your prick does.”

“Shit.” Louis inches his hips backwards, a slight blush on his cheeks which is a refreshing change from his typically calm, cool and confident demeanour. He bites his lip and says, “Sorry, I didn’t even realise.”

Harry slides his hand under the covers, smoothing his palm down Louis stomach to the front of his briefs. His cock strains against the material and Harry feels his own stomach ignite with fire at the feel of it.

“Mm, we have a free day today,” Harry hums, suggestive tone weaving into his voice. “Don’t have anywhere to be.”

Louis raises his eyebrows at him before reaching down and cupping a palm over Harry’s briefs. He gives a firm squeeze before sliding his hand underneath the fabric and pulling his cock out.

“Wanna blow you,” Louis says as he begins to slowly tug at Harry’s cock. Harry drops his face into the crook of Louis’ neck with a content sigh. “Let me return the favour.”

“Wasn’t a favour,” Harry mumbles. Lifting his head, he swipes his tongue across his bottom lip before saying, “I wanted to.”

Louis smirks and Harry’s eyes drop to his mouth at the swift flash of his pink tongue, wetting his bottom lip before smacking them together. Louis’ eyes are on his lips too.

“I want to as well.”

Harry bites down on a grin before he’s nodding. He rolls onto his back, Louis hand falling from his cock as he pulls his own briefs down. He watches as Louis rids himself of his pants too, only seeing a flash of the pink tip of his cock before he’s leaning over him and capturing his lips in a kiss.

The kiss is less messy this morning. There’s less saliva and teeth and panted breaths, a more languid, more _methodical_ dance of tongues. It’s soft and lazy but no less electric.

The fire building in the pit of Harry’s stomach sparks anew as Louis hands land on his hips and he’s pressing his full body weight down on top of him. Louis breaks their kiss on a high gasp as their lower bodies grind together, Harry nuzzling his face into Louis neck and taking the bottom of his ear between his teeth.

“Fuck,” Louis pants, jerking his hips down harder.

He reaches between their bodies then taking a hold of Harry’s cock in his fist before lifting himself off Harry’s body and shimmying down under the covers.

“I knew you’d be fucking hung.” He gives a slow, firm tug, Harry’s foreskin folding back to reveal a pink, wet tip. Louis runs his thumb along it and Harry can’t stop his hips from jerking into it. “I don’t know whether to be turned on or jealous.”

Harry chuckles, albeit a little breathlessly as Louis starts a rhythm up with his hand. “Don’t think you really have a reason to be jealous. From what I remember.”

Louis simply hums before he’s taking the head of Harry’s cock into his mouth. Harry’s breath catches in his throat at the sensation, hands flying up to fist in his hair.

Fuck, Louis had pulled his hair last night. He gives himself a sharp tug as Louis slides his mouth further down his shaft, fist firmly circled around the base, drawing a guttural moan from deep within him. Even with a dick in his mouth, Harry can see a satisfy smirk work its way onto Louis’ lips.

“Fuck, yeah. That’s good. Really good.”

Louis brows are pinched together as he works. Harry reached out, running his fingers through his hair as he continued to bob, pushing his fringe off his face. His cheekbones look obscene and Harry’s stomach jumps at the sudden yet overpowering desire to come on them.

As if reading his thoughts, Louis pulls off, not taking his eyes off Harry, blown wide and dark.

“Gonna come for me, yeah?” Louis leaves a delicate peck on his hip. He jerks him hard and fast, his saliva offering the perfect slide. Harry’s nostrils flare. “Let it happen, Harry. Come.”

The familiar heat in his stomach spreads through his entire body like wild fire, the power of it intense and gratifying. On a half there thought, he grips the back of Louis head, angling it down and watches as the last ropes of his come paint Louis face.

He covers his mouth with his hand when his mind returns to its fully functioning state and realises what he just did. “Shit. Louis, I’m so sorry.” He scrambles up, pulling a puzzled looking Louis into a seated position, frantically wiping his come off his cheek. “I should’ve asked permission to do that. I swear I didn’t mean—“

“Harry,” Louis sniggers, gripping Harry’s wrist and pulling his hand away from his face. “It’s fine. I promise, I didn’t mind.” He punctuates the point by leaning in and planting a quick kiss against Harry’s lips. “I liked it.”

Harry follows Louis eyes which are pointedly looking down at his own crotch, come drying around his softening cock.

“You—“

Louis chuckles bashfully. “You were getting me hot. Can’t say I’ve gotten off rubbing against a mattress in while but it brought back some good, testosteronal teenage memories.”

Harry snorts. Louis winks, “Just means you owe me one.”

Harry scoffs, pushing him by the shoulder back into the mattress before laying his head down on his chest. They’re quiet for a little while, arms wrapped around one another and their breaths syncing up. There’s one thought incessantly flying around Harry head like a caged bird and he doesn’t think it will stop until he sets it free.

“Should we like,” Harry ventures after some time, “I don’t know. Is this something we need to have a discussion about?”

There’s a pause before Louis says, “Is it something you would like to have a discussion about?” His voice is quiet, almost a whisper. It feels private.

“I don’t know, maybe?”

“Okay,” Louis says, voice slow and even, void of emotion. “Last night was good. This morning, too. I think we’ve been skirting around this happening for a while. I’m glad it happened.”

“Yeah, I think it was pretty inevitable,” Harry agrees.

“Right, so.” He scratches his chin, looking up to the ceiling. Harry turns his head, Louis dropping his eyes and making contact with Harry’s. “Look, I think you’re great—“

“Uh oh, are you breaking up with me?” Harry jokes.

“Shut up.” Louis snorts. “I was just going to say I think you’re great and I’d like for this to happen again. If you were up for it too.”

Harry smiles into the light dusting of hair between Louis’ pecs. “I’d like that too.”

***

They fall back to sleep for a couple hours, waking themselves up with a pretty intense make out session and some rather heavy petting. At around midday the guilt of wasting a day in bed settles in and they get up, take a shower together and get dressed for the day. They catch up with a few people from the Contiki group and head down to the beach for a few hours, cycling between lying out in the sun and cooling off in the sea.

At dinner time, they each grab one of those dirty street kababs that seem like a great idea at the time but always make your stomach bubble after, but for some reason you always go back to them. They eat on the beach, watching the sun set over the horizon, the sky gradually fading from its default bright blue to a muted cotton candy swirl, pinks and oranges and blues dancing together across the skyline.

Harry and Louis are the last two the leave the beach, content sitting in the sand and chatting about idle things, from their lives at home to childhood memories to embarrassing stories, most of which begin with the consumption of alcohol— a reoccurring theme. They have a late-night swim in the hotel pool before they head back to Louis’ room.

Harry sleeps in Louis’ room again that night.

 


	4. Brisbane, Noosa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to Harry for making the hula knock knock joke relevant again, right in time for this chapter. You're the real MVP.

**CONTIKI DAY 12**

Harry realises as he steps onto the van the next day for their decent from the Gold Coast to Brisbane, that this is the first time that he’s seeing Liam, Niall, Zayn, and Sophia since his and Louis’ abrupt departure from the club two nights ago.

“Hey guys,” he waves, smiling.

He aims for casual but the moment his eyes make contact with Niall’s squinting ones, the corner of his lips pull up involuntarily and he’s dissolving into giggles.

“Where have you two been then?” His eyes flit between Louis and Harry suspiciously. He sounds like an unimpressed dad chastising his children for returning home after curfew, arms folded and all.

“Oh, you know.” Louis cheekily waves his hand around. He most definitely resembles a mischievous teenager being reprimanded by said dad in that moment. “Here, there and everywhere. Gold Coast was lovely, wasn’t it?”

Harry plops down in the window seat of his and Louis’ pair, Louis following after him. Liam and Sophia are knelt on their chair, peering over the backs at them and both Zayn and Niall are fully turned in their seats towards them. There are matching smirks on all their faces.

“Whatever you’re smirking about, you have no proof.” Louis smirks right back and Harry is still giggling.

“Didn’t see you leave your room this morning, Harry?” Niall says, voice one of complete innocence. “Were you staying in another room last night? Perhaps, someone else’s room?”

“Nope,” Harry replies simply, popping the ‘p’.

Louis starts giggling too then, hiding his face in Harry’s neck. Harry hides his own laughter in the top of Louis’ head, soft hair tickling his nose.

“You two are so fucking obvious.”

***

**CONTIKI DAY 13**

There is a heatwave in Brisbane. The city itself is nice, albeit a little different to a typical city with its self-proclaimed edgy, ‘hippy’ vibe, but Harry just can’t really get past the sweltering 38 degree temperatures, topped off with an inhumane 89% humidity. They spend the better part of the morning shopping, hopping between stores as quickly as possible and slithering between every available source of sun shade as they scrounge for air-conditioning and some nice keepsakes.

When they learn that Brisbane is home to one of the largest man-made lagoons in Australia, right in the heart of Southbank and totally free to the public, they’re all simultaneously relieved and pissed off that it took them almost an entire day of marinating in their own sweat to find it.

The pool is packed, groups of teenagers, young couples and families with screaming children take up the bulk of the area, but they find a nice little shaded area to paddle in. They pick up a few of the other Contiki travellers in the lagoon and by the time they’re set to meet back at the hostel, almost the entire group are in the lagoon, cooling off in the fresh water.

The entire group spend the afternoon in the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art which, much to his own joy, brings out the arsy beast inside of Harry and he thrives off the dynamic exhibits all the way to the contemporary architecture of the building, taking lots of shitty iPhone pictures and revelling in the marvellous designs. He spends his time enthralled in the words of the artists which accompany each piece, blurbs explaining design methods and unique artistic choices which throws him right back to Uni, late nights spent researching the history of his favourite works, endeavouring for someone to do the same with his own one day.

Louis sticks to his side for most of the tour through the museum. It’s clear he’s not all that interested, at least not to the extent that Harry is, but he makes comments when appropriate and points to certain things that pinch his interest. It’s nice. A touch obvious that he’s putting in the effort for him, but Harry thinks that makes the gesture even sweeter.

They kiss a little bit when no one’s looking, a peck on the cheek as Louis left his side to buy a couple bottles of water and a chaste kiss when no one else was around and the desire struck. It doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Just like the mutual hand jobs in the shower this morning, it’s fun and exciting and they’re both young, libidinous and physically attracted to each other, so why the hell not?

Since their first night together, he’s noticed that Louis has been more flirty, too. Not in an obnoxious way by any means, just in a more touchy feely, _if I want to run my fingers through your hair and hold your hand, then I very well will_ , kind of way. It’s the way that he’ll hook their pinkies together when they’re walking or tap Harry’s bum without thought as he passes him by. Even just the way he’ll openly express his lure—gaze hooked and lips licked when Harry strips his shirt off at night, or even the way he had raised a single teasing brow in Harry’s direction when wrapping his lips around the rim of his water bottle.

He finds Louis is more teasing, too. His cheeky little wit has a little more bite and Harry appreciates that they’ve gotten to the point in their friendship where Louis doesn’t feel the need to tone his natural self down or skirt around him, so as not to offend. It’s nice to have become this close to someone. He had no doubts that he would have no trouble making friends on this trip at all, but Louis, and for that matter Liam, Niall, Zayn and Sophia, have vastly outdone any expectations he could have ever had.  

Fate had been the word that Sophia had used, the one he had also scoffed at, but maybe, just maybe, he was beginning to the believe it.

***

The air-conditioning in the hostel in Brisbane leaves much to be desired. The tiny, childhood bedroom like sized room is home to 2 bunks and the flow of lukewarm air being blown around by the squeaky ceiling fan doesn’t do much to settle the heat of four bodies occupying the small space. It’s late, probably around midnight, and Harry, along with Louis, Sophia and Liam, lay on top of the covers of their respective bunks moaning about the heat and longing for the supposed nine-degree temperature back in London, according to Sophia’s phone.

“What did the air-conditioning say to the man?”

Liam groans at Harry’s question, but humours him anyway. “I don’t know. What did the air-conditioning say, Harry?” he asks, tone void of any emotion.

Harry smirks up at the ceiling, eyes tracking the rhythmic spin of the fan like he has been for the past hour of failed sleep. “I’m your biggest fan.”

Louis snorts from the bunk beneath his, prodding the bottom of his mattress with his foot. “Not your best work, Haz.”

“Okay,” Harry says, turning onto his side and propping his head up with his elbow against the bed. “I have a better one. Knock, knock.”

“Who’s there?”

“Accordion.” 

“Accordion, who?”

Harry pauses, biting his lip. “Accordion to my calculations, it is really fucking hot.”

Louis giggles at this one and Harry goes along with him, flopping back down onto the mattress and into a supine position. “Much better. You’ve just gotta stick to knock, knock jokes, mate. They’re your strong suit, I reckon.”

Harry hums. “True. I have a life time of them supplied up here.” He taps his temple with his pointer finger, though he knows Louis can’t see him.

“Give us your best one, then?”

Liam groans, rolling onto his stomach and covering his head with his pillow. His voice is muffled when he says, “Stop encouraging him, Louis. We’ve all been trying to make him stop with the dad jokes and now you’re egging him on further.”

“Stop being a fucking wet blanket, Liam,” Louis snorts, nudging the bottom of Harry’s mattress again. “Go on, Haz. Blow me away.”

Harry’s eyebrows raise. He gasps in mock scandal, “I can’t do that in front of Liam and Sophia, Louis. That’d be wildly inappropriate.”

“Harry that’s disgusting but thank you for admitting that you and Louis are fucking around,” Sophia yawns, smacking her lips together on the exhale before rolling over to face the wall directly across from Harry. She’s been dozing in and out of sleep for a while and Harry doesn’t understand how she’s doing it as someone who has fallen victim to a prank or two in his time due to his undeniable skill of falling asleep whenever and wherever, no matter the adversity.

“Hurry up, Harry,” Louis huffs. “Give us your joke.”

“Knock, knock.”

“Who’s there?” Liam answers. Twofaced prick.

“Hula,” Harry grins, the punchline tickling the tip of his tongue.

“Hula who?”

He sticks his finger in his mouth, smacking his lips together as he pulls it out, making a popping ‘p’ sound.

The joke earns him a screwed up blanket thrown to the side of his face, curtesy of Liam, but a giggle from both Louis and Sophia.

There’s a couple more jokes, a bit of absentminded chatter about trivial things and lots of tossing and turning. They try opening the window, but the air outside is still thick with humidity still despite the late hour, or early hour now he supposes, and the breeze non-existent, so the effort brings no results except a warm huff of air into the slowly cooling room.

Harry feels like he’s just dozed off when he’s suddenly moving, lying flat on the sea’s surface and bobbing over waves. The sway of the sea is rhythmic and… What?

It takes him a moment to come into consciousness, waking up to his mattress bobbing up and down. When Louis speaks, he realises that the jostling movements of his bed is from Louis feet prodding it from the bunk beneath his.

“Harry. You awake?” he whispers.

Harry takes a deep inhale, rolling onto his stomach and rubbing his face into the pillow. It’s completely quiet in the hostel now and the room feels nowhere near as stuffy as earlier, in fact he’s even migrated under his covers, so he assumes he must’ve been out for a little bit. Louis, however, sounds as bright as he had earlier.

“Mm, yeah,” he replies, voice deep and gruff.

“Come here.”

Harry frowns, eyes still closed. “Wha’”

“Come here. I wanna tell you something.”

Harry whines, burrowing his face further into his pillow. “Tell me here.”

There’s a pause and then: “It’s a secret, you’ve got to come here.”

Harry sighs, kicking the covers off and blinking his eyes open blearily. He climbs down the ladder and when he steps towards Louis, he lifts the edge of the blankets up and gestures for Harry to crawl in beside him. Harry obliges, resting his head beside Louis’ on the pillow, the single bed a tight squeeze for their two bodies. It’s warm, too. Thankfully the air-conditioning in the room seems to have picked up and his body temperature has dropped substantially since sleep had apparently pulled him and he’d quit tossing and turning. So, it’s not unbearable.

“What is it?” he asks, voice hushed and their faces only a couple inches apart. Harry’s eyes struggle to focus in his sleep haze.

“Flip over,” Louis says, simply.

Harry doesn’t question him; simply does as he’s told—too tired not to—turning over onto his side. Louis arm comes to wrap around him pulling him close into his body and burying his nose in the back of his hair.

“Goodnight, Harry.”

Harry smiles into the pillow, hugging Louis’ forearm to his chest. “Goodnight, Louis.”

***

**CONTIKI DAY 14**

The morning of their last day in Brisbane is slow. Harry and Louis had awoken early, before both Liam and Sophia, tangled and melded together by sweat. In fact, they’d showered and had breakfast together in the hostel’s cafeteria before any of the other’s travellers on their tour had even gotten out of bed. Their next stop is Noosa and only being less than a two hour drive from Brisbane means that they don’t have to leave at the arse crack of dawn to arrive with enough time to utilise their day. Harry and Louis spent the extra bit of spare time they had unintentionally gained by going on a nice little walk around the city, sitting down at bustling café and enjoying a coffee and a slice of carrot cake together.

Much to Harry’s joy, the drive to Noosa incorporates a stop over at another giant piece of fruit, this time a pineapple, arguably the second best fruit behind bananas. It’s Sunday, which means the weekly markets are in full swing. Harry buys more fresh produce than is probably likely that he’s capable of eating, but it all just looks so good and Harry can never resist the pull of organic goods. Harry’s heart is full thinking about how much his mother would appreciate this little market. It’s nothing special, no, but it reminds Harry of the one their family frequented back home when he was a kid.

They meet a lovely, elderly local woman who is thrilled to discover that they are British and goes on to excitedly inform them of Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s visit to ‘The Pineapple’, as she affectionately refers to it as, back in 1983. Naturally, the actual pineapple ‘The Pineapple’ offers is to die for and the cups of sweet, fresh pineapple and carrot juice they buy is refreshing and so satisfying in the midday heat.

They arrive in Noosa late into the afternoon, the sun settling into the horizon and painting the gorgeous beach town in a golden hue. They take a break from the waves, instead opting to give the little plunger pool at the hostel a go. It’s crowded, around 25 people skirting around each other, but there’s music playing from some speakers, alcohol is flowing and there’s a bunch of diverse characters to talk to, so it’s not so bad in the end.

***

“Mojito, on the rocks, my good sir,” Louis says, extravagantly presenting Harry with his beverage, bending in to a half-knelt position and balancing the glass on the palm of his hand. It’s possible that he’s already slightly intoxicated.  

“Why, thankyou.”

Tonight, most of the Contiki group have stuck together, venturing down the street to this groovy little cocktail bar only a few doors down from the hostel. The place is pumping with activity, mostly travellers, as far as Harry can tell, most have come from the hostel as well as a few of the other neighbouring accommodations. They’ve met an array of people, some local, most tourists and most of them international.

 “You know,” Louis says, sliding back into his seat in the booth across from Harry. “I think I’ve spent more money on alcohol on this trip then I had, previously, like… my entire life.”

Harry snorts, raising his glass. “We’re on holidays, isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?”

“Cheers to that,” Louis agrees, raising his own glass and clinking it against Harry’s. “Look me in the eye or it’s bad luck.”

Harry does, tilting his chin down and wiggling his eyebrows, maintaining their gaze as he draws his glass away and raises it to his lips. He smacks him lips together. “Mmm, limey.”

He watches Louis take a sip too, a wince on his face as he swallows the muted green liquid. “Bleh. Don’t know about this one.”

Harry squawks in horror. “You’ve never had a mojito?” he asks, voice raising just an octave.

“I haven’t,” Louis laughs. He leans across the table, taking Harry’s face in both of his hands and uses his thumbs to smooth out the wrinkled skin around his eyebrows. “Don’t look so horrified. I’m not a big cocktail fan, me. I meant it when I said I don’t think I’ve ever spent this much money on alcohol. This shit is expensive.”

“Oh.” Harry bites his lips sheepishly as Louis retracts his hands and sinks back into the booth. “I didn’t—I can pay you back for my drinks. I didn’t mean—“

Louis waves him off before he can finish. “Nah. Didn’t mean it like that. We’re on holiday, yeah? Besides, you’ve bought me tonnes too, I think we’re even, yeah?”

Harry opens his mouth to reply when suddenly Liam, sitting next to him in the booth, bumps his shoulder against him. “Come on, lovebird, shove over. Round of shots, on me.”

“Never going to say no to free booze,” he quips, scooting out of the booth, letting Liam pass before sliding back into the seat.

Liam returns, sliding the tray of brimming shot glasses, each with a slice of lime pinching the rim. Harry makes a pleased noise before sliding his bum across the seat to make room for Harry, though Liam stops him with a hand on his shoulder.

“I’m next to my missus, mate.”

Harry raises his eye brows, shooting Sophia a disbelieving look. “Possessive much?” he whispers in her ear, earning himself a giggle hidden behind manicured fingertips, before he’s turning back to Liam and extracting himself from the booth. He places his hand on Liam’s chest. “I know Sophia is a very pretty lady and I, for one, can appreciate a man pulling above his weight and the threat he must feel around superior male specimens. That being said, my friend, you can take your precious masculinity and tuck your alpha male, domineering front away.” He leans in close to Liam’s ear, patting him on the chest once as he says, “I tend to gravitate towards dick.” 

Liam rolls his eyes, reaching out and twisting Harry’s nipple. It’s not gently by any standards, but Harry is still surprised when a spark of pleasure shoots through his being and explodes in the pit of his stomach like fireworks, causing his body to curl in and moan to push past his throat without permission.   

Liam cackles, beer scented breath wafting into his nostrils. “Did that just happen? Please tell me that just happened?” His eyes manically flit to each person in the booth as he slides in, face shining with what Harry can describe as pure elation. “Oh boy, Styles. We’re going to have fun with his one.”

Harry rubs over his peck as if Liam had actually inflicted injury on him as he plops back into his seat. “Shut the fuck up.”

“Louis, are you—“

“Shut,” Harry says louder this time, pausing between each word, “the fuck up.”

Liam’s grin still hasn’t faltered as he reaches towards Harry’s chest again, swiftly slapped away this time.

“Don’t you dare,” he says, raises a testing eyebrow.

Sophia wraps an arm around Liam’s shoulders, leaning around him to address both him and Harry where they face one another at the edge of the booth. “You know, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you two hated each other.”

“I do hate him,” Harry states simply, though there is a smile pulling at the edge of his lips which gives him away.

Sophia rolls her eyes. “No, you don’t. You’ve both been teasing each other from day one. You’ve got this weird, playful mocking thing going on. It’s cute.”

Liam scoffs. “I’m not cute,” he says, spitting the last word.

Harry rolls his eyes, patting him on the shoulder. “There’s that delicate masculinity again.”

“See! You just did it,” Sophia just about yells, excitedly pointing between the two of them like the line had just proven her entire point. She presses her face against the side of Liam’s, rubbing their cheeks together. “And you’re very cute, baby. Don’t you forget it.” She pulls her face back, loudly smacking her lips against his cheek.

“Aw, baby,” Harry coos. “Very _cute_ , Li Li.”

Harry narrowly avoids Liam’s hand shooting out towards his nipples, jumping out of the booth with his hands protecting laying over his pecks. He moves around the edge of the table, knocking his hip into an oblivious Louis’ side. He and Louis may not have known Zayn for as long as the others but they have discovered in the short time of getting to know him that while under the influence of alcohol, he tends to get randomly _very_ deep and suddenly very talkative, a complete contradiction from his sober personality. It’s fascinating really but right now Louis seems to be stuck in a pretty intense looking heart to heart and Harry feels mildly stupid for the urge to stamp his foot on the ground and demand Louis’ attention when he doesn’t turn to Harry instantly.

He doesn’t do that though. That’d be silly. He huffs and does what any unjustly jealous man would do and slides into Louis’ lap, legs hanging over the outsides of his leg closest to Zayn. Okay, maybe Harry is the drunk one.

“Whoa, hello,” Louis says, resting his palms on Harry’s hips.

“Liam’s abusing my nips,” he states simply, tilting his head in Liam’s direction. “I’m seeking refuge. I’m simply not safe over there, Lou.”

Louis gasps in mock horror, sliding his hands up the flank of Harry’s body and resting them over his nipples. “How very dare he?” He cuddles Harry’s body back against his chest, his next words directed towards Liam. “No touching my boy’s nips. They’re sacred, be respectful, Liam.”

Harry grins, refusing to let his cheeks heat up at the words _my boy._ Nope. Refuses.

Liam rolls his eyes, gesturing towards the six untouched shots in the middle of the table. “Can we get on with this, please? This here cost me over $50 and if you don’t all take one now, I’m taking them all for myself.”

Niall, at the opposite end of the booth with some local Australian girl he’s been chatting up all night, swoops in first, plucking a glass from the tray. “Oh please, Liam. You wouldn’t be able to handle it,” he says, throwing the shot back with barely a wince, no chaser, no lime. He wiggles his eyebrows at the blonde girl, who’s now giggling into the front of his shirt, before he’s leaning in, alcohol shining on his lips as he dives in tongue first.

Harry shrugs, picking up his own shot and shrugging. “Good for him?”

“To Niall,” Louis cheers, holding his glass up in cheers before throwing it back.

Harry follows him, cringing at the burning sensation tickling the back of his tongue as the liquid slides down his throat. He pops the slither of lime between his lips, biting into the sour juice and shaking his head side to side. “Bleh. Needed salt.”

Louis snorts, placing his glass back on the table and wrapping his arms back around Harry’s waist. Harry holds them there, laying his own on top. “We know you can’t handle alcohol for shit. Maybe worse than Liam here.”

“Hey!” both Harry and Liam protest at the same time.

“Gold Coast,” Louis says simply, raising his eyebrows at Harry like that’s all the proof he needs.

“You were pretty sloshed, mate,” Zayn chimes in with a sympathetic smile. “You were hanging off Louis the entire night. Well maybe that wasn’t entirely alcohol fuelled.” He smirks. “We did see you stumbling out hand in hand, after all.”

“What?” Harry squawks. The others hadn’t seen him and Louis leave the club that night. “No—you---“

“We really don’t care you know?” Zayn says, voice suddenly very serious. He reaches out and puts his hand over Harry’s eyes flitting between both him and Louis now. “We don’t care if you two are getting each other off or whatever, okay? You can stop pretending. It’s getting old now. It’s like the start of Liam and Sophia’s relationship all over again,” he rolls his eyes, saying the last bit louder, catching the attention of the aforementioned couple.

Sophia scoffs. “We weren’t like this.”

Zayn’s eyes flick between the couple across the table before they’re back on Harry and Louis, gaze dropping down to Harry sat on Louis’ lap with they’re arms tangled together around his front. “You’re right. These two are much more cuddly.”

Louis tightens his arms around Harry, elongating his spine and resting his face against the point of Harry’s shoulder. “Maybe we like cuddles.”

Zayn raises his eyebrows. “Maybe you like each other,” he quips, challengingly.

Louis snorts, unwrapping himself from Harry’s body and tapping him on the hip. “C’mon, _baby_ ,” he starts, teasingly. “Let’s get out of here. I can’t stand this torment. Besides, Niall looks like he’s about to swallow blondie over there and I don’t particularly wanna be witness to it.”

Louis says it loud enough for Niall to hear, earning himself the bird over Niall’s shoulder and he continues loudly sucking on the girl’s lips. Harry  shakes his head fondly at the exchange, picking himself out of Louis’ lap and watching as the rest of the group, bar Niall, follow.

Harry makes eye contact with Liam, raising his eyebrows and laying his hands over his nipples. “No.”

***

Back at the hostel, Louis gracefully offers to use the communal bathroom they’re sharing with three other rooms, last. It’s noble, really. That is until it’s Harry’s turn and there’s a faint knock on the door just as he’s rinsing the foam off his toothbrush, the door clicking open moments later as Louis steps in, locking the door behind him.

“Hey,” Harry says, dumbly. The fresh air on the short walk back to the hotel combined with the full bottle of water he chugged upon arrival have sobered him up substantially and he feels himself flushing under Louis’ gaze.

“Hi,” Louis says, biting his lip as he steps towards him. He places his hands on Harry’s hips, drawing him in close to his body. Harry drops his gaze to his lips as Louis leans in, connecting their lips in a hungry kiss.

Louis pulls away after a while, breathless, tucking his face into Harry’s neck. “You looked so good tonight. Needed to get my hands on you,” he pants, goose bumps prickling Harry’s skin. “Moaning when Liam twisted your nipples. Sitting in my lap. Fuck, Harry. I need to touch you.” He slides his hand down Harry’s front, palm landing over the slight bulge in the front of Harry’s jeans. “Let me touch you.”

Harry grips Louis by the shoulders, nodding frantically. “Yeah, want you to touch me. Want to touch you too.”

Louis lifts his head, reattaching their lips and eliciting a happy noise from Harry. He pushes Harry back against the wall, pinning him in place with firm hands on his hips before dropping down to his knees.

Harry’s already mostly hard by the time Louis pulls him out of his jeans, his tip wet with pre-come and aching for contact. Just the thought of his mouth as Louis wraps a fist around him has his cock twitching with anticipation. He slides his fingers into Louis hair and tips his head back against the wall as Louis licks a firm stripe on the underside, from the base of his balls to the tip, tongue sweeping up the wetness there.

The heart of Louis’ mouth is glorious as he takes him in, cheeks hollowing, mouth and fist working in tandem to stimulate every inch of him. His heart patters in his chest as he spreads his legs further apart, closes his eyes and gives himself in to the sensation.

Louis hums, the vibrations causing Harry’s stomach to jump as he pulls off. “Can’t wait until Cairns,” he says, mouth still connected to his cock by the string of saliva Louis laps up against the head, tongue firm against his sensitive slit. Harry can’t stop his hand from reaching down and thumbing the wetness of his lips. Grinning he asks, “Do you know why?”

Harry just whimpers in reply. He feels hot all over. Can feel a thick layer of sweat covering his forehead and the front of his hair sticks to the damp skin.

Louis head bobs back down and Harry smacks his head back against the wall, eyes squeezing shut. Everything feels kind of hazy with Louis lips wrapped around his cock, tongue flattened against the underside and paying special attention to the fat vein there. The rough hands on his hips and fingertips digging into his side, however, are grounding enough for Harry to not completely lose himself in the sensations of warm suction of a very attraction man between his legs.

Fuck.

Louis pulls off, swirling his tongue around the crown, pointer finger and thumb holding his foreskin back, a few times before asking once more, “Do you know why, babe?”

Louis runs his hands across the smooth panes of his hips, looking up at Harry through thick eyelashes and staring straight into his soul with his hypnotising blue eyes. Louis holds his gaze, fist loosely stoking Harry at an even pace as he cocks an eyebrow and waits for him to answer.

The words finally catch up to Harry and he chokes out a feeble reply between uneven breaths. “Mm. Why?”

Louis grins up at him. “Once we get to Cairns we check into a hotel,” he murmurs with his lips brushing against the head of his cock, tongue poking out to tease at the slit in between words. “Do you know what that means, Harry?”

Harry is leaking a steady stream of pre-come and his stomach muscles are trembling as he struggles to remain quiet with the merciless pleasure Louis inflicts on him with the wetness of this mouth and the smooth, heat of his tongue. He hums in acknowledgment of Louis’ words. It’s weak at best, but it’s all he can muster without shouting out, hyper aware of Liam, Sophia and Zayn, as well as a handful of other travels, all but directly outside this door.

“Not just one but two private rooms. No rush, no need to be quiet. Fuck, Harry, I’m going to absolutely ravish you. I’m finally going to be able to spread you out and slowly take you apart, just like you deserve.” His hand continues moving over his length as he talks, gaze never faltered off Harry’s face. “I’m going to take my time and I’m not going to stop until I make you _scream_. Going to have you beginning for it.”

Harry sucks in a deep breath through his nose as Louis sucks him down once more. There’s a crease between his brows as his nose hits the fine hair at the base of his cock and Harry can’t look away. He pulls off with a messy slurp, saliva shining on his reddened lips.

“First, I’m going to start here,” Louis says, tightening his grip where his fist is holding the base of his cock. Harry’s hips immediately jolt forwards into the touch on instinct. His teeth clamp down on his lip but it does nothing to conceal the groan that erupts from deep inside of him. He smacks his head back into the wall with a loud thump.

“I’m going to get you nice and hard, just like you are now. You’ll be begging to come Harry and you won’t because I’ll tell you that you can’t. Not until I say you can.”

Louis takes him back into his mouth and at this point Harry feels like his whole body is on fire as his hips thrust forward on their own accord, nudging the back of Louis’ throat. Louis doesn’t even flinch, simply pulls off with a smug grin and raised eyebrows. Harry physically cannot stop his hips from pushing forwards, seeking the warmth of Louis mouth as he throws his head back and breathes harshly through his nose.

“Hips still, baby.”

Baby. Harry outright moans. He sounds so authoritative, voice rougher and maybe even a little bit deeper. He feels like his senses are being over stimulated as a single tear spills from the corner of his tightly pressed eyelids.

“I’ll keep you on edge, make my way here.” Louis keeps one hand wrapped around his cock, the other sliding from his hip to the curve of his left bum cheek, roughly squeezing the firm flesh. He lets one finger wonder between his cheeks, gently, teasingly ghosting up and down, from his hole to the sensitive skin right behind his balls. He presses down, hard, and stars erupt behind Harry’s eyelids at the sensation. Louis draws his hand back, eyes never leaving Harry’s as he sucks it into his mouth.

“I’ll keep teasing you. Just like this.” Louis’ wet finger is circling around his rim. The pressure is teasing and not enough. “Nice and slow. No rush. One finger at a time, I’ll work you up and you’ll be pleading to come, Harry. But you won’t.”

He removes his finger, Harry’s whine turning into a rough groan as Louis fist starts to move again, sliding over Harry’s cock with a smooth pull.

“And then you will be ready for my cock and I’ll fuck you rough and dirty from behind. Maybe I’ll bend you over the edge of the bed and hold you down with my body while I fuck you. I bet you’d like that, huh? You’d have to just take it. I’d pull your hair too, you’d like that, huh? Pull your head up and make you watch but you wouldn’t be able to move or touch.”

Louis’ jerks quicken, gaze flickering down to his cock with a smug grin before his eyes are back on Harry. Always on Harry.

“Maybe I’ll ride you, too. I’ll ride you slowly, teasingly. I’ll keep the pace, hold you down so you can’t fuck up.” He takes hold of Harry’s jerking hips with the hand not on his cock, digging his fingertips in a pinning Harry against the wall roughly. He gently kisses next to it. “You’ll get what I give you. Maybe I’ll even tie you down, spread out, arms wide. All mine,” he practically growls.

Louis takes the head of Harry’s cock back into the wet heat of his mouth and then it is all over. Before Harry can even supply a warning, he’s shooting what feels like the biggest load he’s potentially ever produced into Louis’ mouth. Louis takes it, closing his eyes and tightening his lips.

“God. Look at you,” Louis breathes as he pulls off, both men panting.

“Fucking, Jesus,” Harry puffs, slumping forwards, like putty in Louis’ hands. “That was so hot. So fucking good.”

Louis grabs his hand, pulling him to the ground and to rest against his side. He swivels them around so that they’re backs are resting against the wall Harry’s previously was.

“Always been one for dirty talk then?” Louis asks. His tone is genuine as he manoeuvres Harry’s head to rest on his shoulder. Harry nuzzles his face into the crook of his neck. “I’ve never seen you like that before. I thought you were going to pass out, it was so fucking hot.”

“Sometimes, I guess.” Harry shrugs, words still sounding breathless, voice gruff and languid. “You’re like really, really good at it. Fuck, that was so hot, Lou.”

Louis laughs, shaking his head a little sheepishly. “I kind of ran away with it for a bit there, didn’t I? I’ve never thought of myself as good at it. Don’t really know where that came from, to be quite honest.”

“Well here’s the proof you are in fact very good at it.” Harry gestures to himself, sprawled out on the floor dirty bathroom floor, leaning his full weight against Louis’ body. He can feel his hair sticking to the sweat on his face and he’s sure his skin is flushed and blotchy. Fucked out is the phrase that comes to mind. “I think you’ve broken me.”

Louis snorts. “I hope not. Who’s going to help me out with this, eh?”

Harry feels his head being coaxed by a gentle hand in the back of his hair to tilt down towards Louis’ crotch to see his cock sticking up proudly, flushed a deep red. Louis had obviously taken himself out of his pants while blowing Harry and the thought is gratifying. Harry reaches out towards him instinctively, using his thumb and forefinger to rub over the crown, already wet with pre-come.

“Mm, whoever it is, is a lucky bastard,” he hums, gaze focused on Louis’ cock.

He takes Louis’ full girth into his fist, pumping slowly and evenly, revelling in the way Louis’ body tenses and relaxes under where Harry’s head remains resting on his shoulder.

“Yeah?” His breathing is picking up again so the question comes out slightly breathlessly. “You think so?”

Harry hums in reply before leaning down and flattening his tongue on the side of Louis cock and licking all the way to the tip. He pulls back and resumes his position with his head against Louis shoulder and back against the wall and he continues jerking Louis, now with the added slickness of his saliva.

“Faster, babe.” Harry complies. “Yeah. Just like that. Oh, fuck yes, that’s good.”

Harry tilts his head, burying his face into the crook of Louis’ neck and mouthing at the skin there. He’s bitter from sweat and Harry can definitely taste the remnants of sunscreen and chlorine from their swim earlier but he can’t get enough, sucking and biting his neck and along his collar bones. Louis releases a desperate whine before gripping the back of Harry’s neck and pulling him into a deep kiss, tongue immediately darting into his mouth as Harry dutifully follows his lead.

“Close,” Louis murmurs against his lips. “Fuck.”

A few strokes later, Louis pulls back from their kiss, resting his forehead on Harry’s shoulder as he comes. Harry watches Louis cock, mesmerised as it pulsates and paints his hand in thick, white ropes. Louis’ breathing is heaving, panting breaths against his naked skin causing goose bumps to erupt all over his body.

“God. So beautiful.”

Louis snorts, lifting his head he says, “Only you would look at a prick and think it’s beautiful.”

Harry removes his hand from Louis softening cock, bringing it to his mouth and licking all of Louis’ come off with one fat swipe of his tongue. “Just yours, I think.”

“God,” Louis groans, “do you even realise how obscene you are? You don’t even try and you’re just-- fuck.”

Harry smirks around the tips of his pointer and middle finger as he sucks them clean also. Louis pushes his face away, gripping Harry’s wrist and forcefully removing his fingers from between his lips.

“Ugh, stop. You’re going to get me going again.”

Harry tilts his head. “I could go for round two.”

Louis pushes his head off his shoulder, standing up and offering his hand to Harry. “I liked you better when you were broken.”

Tonight, he and Louis had been set to share a four-person room with Niall but assuming that he was probably not going to be making it back tonight, Louis and Harry ambled out of the bathroom together, not bothering to detach their joined hands as they step into the room. Harry almost jumps when they flick the light on to see Niall laying on his bunk, tapping away on his phone. Harry drops Louis’ hand like it’s hot and Niall settles him with an unimpressed gaze, tilting his head on the pillow and cocking an eyebrow.

“You’ve got jizz on your chin.”

At Niall’s words, Harry’s hand immediately shoots to his face, mortified, however Louis is right next him, grabbing his wrist before he makes any contact.

“No, you don’t.”

Harry turns bright red, narrowing his eyes at Niall who’s also turning red, only his, the result of his sudden, manic laughter. Harry is thankful that they’re the only three in the room and he doesn’t have to face the other three.

“You two are so fucking obvious! How long has this been going on then, huh? I mean I’ll humour you with the whole ‘we’re not together’ bullshit but you can’t deny you’ve been fucking around, especially not now. Spill the deets.”

Louis groans. “Niall, I admire your persistence but we’re seriously not together.”

Harry nods in back up, though he has to ignore the little sting he feels at Louis swift dismissal. He has no reason to, is the thing, _we’re not together_ , he reminds himself.

Niall holds his palms up in defence, sitting up and resting his bum against the edge of his mattress. “Don’t get defensive, I just said I was humouring you! Now, when did this start? Come sit next to Uncle Niall,” he says, patting the space next to him.

Louis rolls his eyes. Harry walks straight past him over to his bag, stripping himself and stuffing his dirty clothes into his suitcase. The ratio of dirty to clean is becoming dangerously uneven but he supposes that’s just a given when it comes to travelling.

“What happened to that girl, anyway?” Louis asks. “She was all over you.”

Niall waves his hand around, dismissively. “Ah, let her go. Wasn’t feeling it, you know?”

Harry snorts, climbing the ladder of the bunk across from Niall and crawling to the head of the mattress. “Wasn’t feeling it? Bullshit. Your tongue was halfway down her throat for my most of the night. What _weren’t_ you feeling is the real question.”

Niall just shrugs though. “Wasn’t feeling it.”

“You got rejected.” Louis grins. “That’s what happened, isn’t it? She rejected you and now you’re playing us like you weren’t interested.”

Niall’s straight-faced demeanour cracks, a smile breaking through the surface. “Don’t think I don’t see what you’re doing.”

“Niall,” Harry begins, taking a deep breath through his nose. “Will you let it go if I tell you Louis and I…” He pauses, Niall’s grin bordering on manic, “are secretly brothers.”

“Oh, piss off,” Niall cackles, driving his pillow into the side of Harry’s head. Harry takes it, stuffing it under his head, on top of his own.

“Thanks. I always sleep better with two.”

***

**CONTIKI DAY 15**

They spend some more time at the beach in Noosa. The further north they drive, the warmer, and thus more inviting, the sea becomes. The day is clear, the horizon crisp in the distance and the water shimmering beautifully under the unobstructed sun. They spend a good chunk of the morning swimming, Louis attempting to teach Harry how to body surf (since actual surfing didn’t turn out too well) but that results in more tumbles in the white wash and salty water rushing up his nose than anything. It fun though, and Harry feels pleasantly refreshed and energised as Nathan rounds them back on the van for their scheduled activity.

“Quickly, people,” Nathan sighs, hand swinging around as he rounds the last few of the group onto the van. “I’ve seen fucking snails move faster than you lot.”

“Nathan!” Louis places a hand over his chest, mock scandalised. He’s the last one so he’s not in anyone’s way when he stops in front of Nathan at the head of the van. “Getting feisty. What happened to camp councillor ‘ _we’re all one big family_ ’ Nathan, huh?”

Nathan shakes his head, fondly, smile poised on his lips. “Don’t test me, Tomlinson. Now sit down so we can get on with it, eh?”

They head out on a lunch time river cruise on the very stunning Noosa River, cruising around the rivers entrance, Weyba Creek and the beautiful hidden waterways of the Noosa Sound Canals. It’s another rather scenic adventure, lots of lush greenery and spectacular wildlife, made all the more interesting by the lighthearted commentary of their easy-going tour guide slash boat driver. It’s nice to be able to have a moment to just sit and take it all in, feeling like they’ve been constantly moving for the past two weeks.

*****

They get back to the hostel around mid-afternoon, though it feels much later. Harry is drained. He’s the type of worn out that you can only experience from such a fast passed form of travel, so when there is a decision upon a group trip to the beach, all Harry can do is smile apologetically.

“Haz, no. You’re always up for everything, mate!” It’s Niall that says it and he genuinely looks at let down as he sounds. It actually makes Harry feel kind of bad even though like he said, Harry is always up for everything, has never missed a group event, scheduled or otherwise.

“I’m sorry!” Harry presses his lips together. “I think I’m just going to take a nap and just chill a bit so I can make it out tonight.”

Niall smiles in understanding, clapping him on the back. “Alright, mate. Rest up, I’m not going easy on you tonight! You’ll be partying as hard as every other night, you hear me?”

“Wouldn’t expect anything less, mate.”

It’s then that Louis comes into the room with a heavy sigh, dropping his things at the end of his bunk and flopping down onto his bed. “Hey guys, I think I’m gonna skip the beach this time ‘round. I’m knackered.”

“Oh, bullshit,” Sophia scoffs, pulling her damp bikinis down from where she had left them drying over the side of her bed frame. She smacks Louis in the hip with him. “You just want to stay in because Harry is. What, are we not good enough for you, Lou?”

Louis frown, eyes jumping between Harry and Sophia, mouth opening and closing on a reply that’s evidently not there. “No! I didn’t even know he was staying in! I was out there,” he says, waving his finger towards the entryway. His eyes land back on Harry, a crease between his brows. “Wait, why are you staying in? Are you alright?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” He waves his hand around, dismissively. “Just tired, too. Wanna get a little bit of a rest in. I actually might get in a shower first,” he says, thumbing over his shoulder towards the bathroom, backing towards it. With a wave he says, “Have fun at the beach, guys. Don’t miss me too much.”

The warm shower spray is heavenly against his fatigued muscles and he takes his time, for once no one waiting to use the bathroom after him, massaging soap into his skin and giving his hair a good wash and condition. There is a knock on the door just as he’s stepping out of the shower, Louis’ calling, “Just me,” through the door. Harry wraps his towel around his waist and unlocks the door, Louis stepping in with his own towel slung over his shoulder.

“Gonna have a shower, too. You alright with me being in here while you finish up?”

Harry snorts, unwrapping his towel from around his waist and begins to wipe down the rest of his body, mopping up the little droplets of water which trickle from the tips of his hair and race down his torso. “Louis, we’ve showered together like three time. Not to mention the whole _I’ve had your dick in my mouth_ thing. I think I’ll be fine.”

“Well sorry for being a gentleman,” Louis quips, smacking Harry’s bum as he bends over to wrap his towel around his hair.

Harry goes about his normal post shower routine while Louis showers, exfoliating and moisturising his face to the tune of Work by Rihanna, masterfully hummed by Louis, the glass doors of the shower amplifying the soft melody. He runs a little bit of oil through the ends of his hair, washing his hands before taking out his toothbrush out and brushing his teeth.

He is just rinsing the foam from his mouth, bent over the sink, when he feels warm hands clutch at his hips. He wipes the excess water from around his mouth as he stands, smirking at Louis reflection in the mirror.

“Can I help you?”

Louis doesn’t reply, simply continues to smile brightly at Harry’s reflection in the mirror, the front of his body pressed completely against Harry’s back. His hair is slicked back with shower water and his lashes are darkened, accentuating the hooded shape of his eyes and the bright colour of his irises.  

Harry self-consciously chuckles. “What?”

“Nothing.” Louis shakes his head. He smooths his hands from his hips up to his waist before planting them on his stomach and pressing his own naked body close. “Just thinking about what higher power I should be thanking that I get to touch this body.” He smirks. “And I totally did stay in because you were.”

Harry huffs a laugh, tilting his head to the side as he feels Louis’ lips linger by his neck, leaving delicate, little pecks. Harry presses his body back against Louis’, tipping his head back against his shoulder when the kisses turn open mouthed, warm and wet against his sensitive skin. He places his hands over Louis’ and guides them up the length of his body slowly until they land on his chest, over his pecks. Louis takes hold of both of his erect nipples, gently rolling them between his fingers as he continues to nip and suck at Harry’s neck.

“Mm,” Harry hums. “Feels so good.”

“Yeah?” Louis breathes.

Harry can feel Louis’ cock filling up against his bum and he pushes back against it. “Yeah. Keep going.”

Louis groans as he sets an even pace rutting again him, continuing to play with Harry’s body with both his hands and his mouth. A kiss lands on Harry’s shoulder, then the back of his neck until Louis is kissing his way down the length of his spine, dropping to his knees behind him. His hands travel down his flank before landing one on each bum cheek. Harry’s eyelids flutter, pushing back into the contact as Louis squeezes the muscle.

Harry can feel Louis’ breath against his skin when he says, “Tell me you want me to.”

Harry’s nod is instantaneous. He doesn’t know exactly what Louis anticipates for him but he knows he wants it. Wants anything Louis wants to give him.

“Yeah. Want you. Want you to,” Harry blurts out when Louis doesn’t make another move after his nod.

With that, Harry’s cheeks are being pulled apart and there is a strangled breath behind him as his hole is exposed to Louis. Being like this, open and exposed and vulnerable, spikes his arousal tenfold and he has to lean over the sink, forearm on either side, to keep his legs from giving out underneath him. This only serves to push his arse further back in Louis’ grip.

Louis thumbs over his hole once before leaning in and giving a little peck, his rim fluttering with the gentle touch.

Harry has his head hung, hair falling around his face in half dried tendrils. He lifts his head to stare at himself in the mirror as Louis flattens his tongue, licking a fat stripe over his hole, taking in his dishevelled appearance. He looks wrecked already, hair flopping limply around his face, mouth hung open, and cheeks rosy and glistening with a light sheen of sweat. His nostrils flare with a deep breath as Louis licks once more before pointing his tongue and prodding at his hole ever so slightly.

There’s something extremely hot about watching himself like this, Harry realises. He traces his bottom lips with his tongue and his eyes track the motion. He watches the way his expression flickers and contorts in pleasure as Louis thumbs over his hole and dips it in slightly, tongue working around it. He can’t see Louis in the mirror, can only feel him and that only seems to arouse him even further, cock fully hard and swaying between his legs. His heavy breathing, laced with some harsh grunts and high-pitched, whimpered exhales, is beginning to fog the mirror slightly.

Louis uses his teeth to gently nip right beside Harry’s rim, the slight pain prompting a guttural moan from deep inside him as he bucks his hips further back into the warmth of Louis mouth.

“Shh,” Louis hushes before laying a gentle smack on the flesh of his arse. Harry pushes into it, prompting Louis to do it once more, harder this time.

“Can you pass me that please, babe?”

Harry takes his eyes off himself to look at Louis’ reflection. He has one hand curled around his hips and the other pointing to a tube sitting on the counter next to Harry’s toothbrush, hastily dropped. He grabs the moisturiser and passes it to Louis who takes it off him with a polite “ta”. Harry doesn’t even have the sense to question it until he feels a warm, slick hand wrap around his cock. He uses a firm pressure as he pumps him in his fist, though the pace is slow and oh so teasing. Harry groans, pumping his hips into his fist.

Louis huffs a laugh, warm air spilling across the sensitive, wet skin around Harry’s rim. “You alright, babe?”

Harry sucks in a grounding breath, exhaling, “Peachy.”

“Mmm, peachy indeed,” Louis hums groping Harry’s left bum cheek, his thumb diving between the two and opening Harry’s cheeks back up.

He dives straight back in with his tongue and Harry knocks his forehead against the mirror, torn between pushing forwards into his fist of backward into the finger Louis is finally pushing past his rim, alongside his tongue. The finger is gone as soon as it came, though just seconds later it’s replaced with two and Harry has made up his mind, pushing back and grinding his teeth together as he fucks himself on Louis fingers. Louis has worked up a good amount of saliva so as that while his fingers comes with a little bit of a stretch, it’s slick and slide of his fingers is pain free.

Louis is so eager, tongue and lips working together around his fingers feverishly, like he’s a man deprived of sustenance. The wet slurping noises he’s making is driving Harry closer and closer to the edge. The mirror is beginning to fog up with his frantic breaths but he can still see the lust shining from his dilated pupils and the sweat building around his damp hairline.

He watches himself as he falls over the edge, eyebrows knotting together and mouth falling open on a scream as Louis continues to stimulate him from two points.

It takes Harry a while to come down from his orgasm. He slides further down until he’s bent at a ninety-degree angle, face pressed against the cool porcelain sink, Louis rubbing soothing circles into his hips from behind him.

***

Harry and Louis spend the rest of the afternoon lounging around. They crank the air-conditioning in the room and snuggle up under the blankets of Louis’ bunk, their two pillows stacked behind their heads. They’ve been composing messages to family members and friends, showing each other pictures from their camera rolls, both from the trip and from back home, and somehow, they’ve moved on to a mutual love of theirs, watching funny cat videos on YouTube.

The cat in this particular video is about to attempt a risky jump between fences, bum high in the air and wiggling side to side when the audio freezes, replaced by Louis’ phone chiming with a call. Louis fixes the phone upright, the screen reading “Charlotte”, the words “Facetime” underneath that.

Harry sits up, throwing his legs off the size of the bed, thumbing towards the door. “I’ll go see if there’s anyone else out there. Take your time.”

Louis frowns, eyes flitting between his still ringing phone—fucking marimba, Harry will never escape it, he’s sure—and Harry.

“You can stay,” Louis says, wrapping his fingers around Harry’s wrist.

Harry bites his lip. “I don’t want to intrude.”

“You’re not. I’m asking you to stay.” The phone stops ringing. A text comes through and Louis’ eye’s scan it quickly before they’re back on Harry. “Seriously, it’s okay. I’m going to ring back now. Lay back down, love.”

Harry does. He settles back in next to Louis, though with a little more space between their bodies. This feels uncomfortably like meeting your boyfriend’s family for the first time, nervous yet determined to make a good impression.

A girl, with bleach blonde hair and eyes startlingly similar to Louis’, pops up on the screen after just one ring, a soft smile on her face.

“Oh,” is the first thing she says. He can’t tell in the webcam but Harry assumes her gaze is on him, the stranger next to her brother. “Hello.”

“Lots, this is Harry,” Louis answers her silent question, redirecting the arm around his waist to his shoulders. “He’s one of the guys I’ve mentioned from the Contiki group.”

“Oh. Oh!” Charlotte’s plump lips shape into a perfect ‘O’. It’s soon replaced by a subtle smirk as she says, “ _You’re_ Harry. I’ve heard so much about you from Lou, it’s nice to speak to you!”

Harry smiles, eyes flickering to Louis’ face for just a moment before they’re back on Charlotte. “You too. Louis has told me lots about you too. It’s a pleasure to, uh, meet you I guess.”

“In the virtual sense.”

Harry nods. “Yeah, exactly. In the virtual sense.”

“Well,” Louis chimes in, “now that were all acquainted, how’ve you been Lots?” Louis voice is slightly louder in volume when he says, “and you Tommy?”

A thumb up appears on screen in front of Charlottes face and a deep voice behind the webcam says, “Very well, mate.” Harry assumes that must be Charlottes boyfriend, obviously helping her out setting up the call.

The thumb moves out the way and Charlotte speaks again. “Louis, I’m fine,” she says frankly. “We want to hear about you! This is the first time I’m properly speaking to you since you left! How’s the land down under? We’ve been looking up the weather every day, I don’t know whether to feel jealous or sorry for you? We’ve also been Google images-ing all the places you’ve been to. It all looks absolutely stunning. I’m definitely jealous about that part.”

“Yeah. It’s been really good,” Louis replies, simply.

“Oh for fucks sake, come on Lou, give us more than that.” Charlotte rolls her eyes. “Harry, how’s Australia? Please, tell me you’re more articulate than Lou here is.”

Harry giggles. “Google images really doesn’t do justice how beautiful it is here. Truly, don’t be fooled by your brother, we’re all having a the best time. The beaches are all incredible and, yeah, it’s been amazing.”

“Sounds amazing,” Charlotte replies, sighing dreamily like a teenager would to a pop star. Though to be fair, Charlotte’s life is a little different than your average teenager. Harry can’t even imagine. The girl on the iPhone screen in front of him appears to vibrant, a strong young woman, larger than life. Harry is reminded how false that idea is when a piece of her hair falls in front of her face and Charlotte purses her lips, blowing air in an attempt to push it away. Tommy swoops in, tucking the strand behind her ear, whispering something in her ear before extracting himself from the frame with a gentle peck on her cheek.

Harry is pulled out of his thoughts by Charlotte addressing him. “So, Harry? Got any gossip on my brother? Done anything embarrassing? Anything I can use as ammunition when I want something from him?”

Louis scoffs. “I give you everything you want. You don’t need ammunition.”

Harry chuckles at the exchange. It’s very reminiscent of him and his sister and kind of makes him want to ring Gemma too. Maybe he will after.

“I don’t think so,” he answers Charlotte, ignoring Louis protest.  Louis scoffs at him, though he points the phone towards Harry, allowing him to properly converse with his sister.

“I didn’t think you would,” she pouts. “Louis is a little bit too perfect, isn’t he? Good at everything, he is.”

“Oh, hush you.” Louis waves her off.

“It’s true and you know it!”

Harry turns towards Louis, pinching his cheek between his thumb and forefinger. Louis holds an unimpressed gaze as Harry wiggles the skin around. “Aw, you’re making him blush. Look, he’s blushing.”

“Oh, come off it,” Louis snorts, pulling Harry’s hand. He pulls both of their hands down between them and Harry’s surprised when he doesn’t let go, simply locks their palms together and absentmindedly sooths his thumb over Harry’s knuckles.

Louis, Harry and Charlotte talk for quite a while. He and Louis tell her about Zayn, Niall, Liam and Sophia and all the things they’ve gotten up to together. They talk about Nathan and Shaun and how enjoyable they make travelling long distances on a crowded bus. In turn, Charlotte tells them about how her last couple of weeks have been and Tommy joins in, amicably joking with Louis’ about taking the title of man of the family while he’s been gone. Harry finds it adorably endearing the way Louis sassily cocks his eyebrow and declares that Tommy better prepare himself for the annulment upon his return.

They’re both lovely and speak of Louis and their other siblings so highly. It’s nice, seeing this side of Louis, the family side. It’s like he’s been granted the privilege of taking a peak into Louis real life, his life back in England with the people who know him the best. It makes Harry realise that maybe, possibly he can see a future in this. Perhaps he already hoped for that outcome but this interaction has really solidified it in his mind.  In Louis. If Louis were to want to continue this thing they have going on back home, maybe these people could be an addition to his life. It’s not necessarily that he sees himself with Louis’ forever and ever, that would be naïve, even from him, but they do have an undeniable chemistry and a strong bond already that Harry doesn’t think he’ll be ready to say goodbye to at the end of this trip. They haven’t talked about this _thing_ between them yet, at all. They kiss and touch and hold hands on top of fooling around and Harry feels like he’s been thrown in the deep end and he doesn’t know how to swim. It’s confusing and probably something they should discuss, expectations and such, but he’s not sure himself, or Louis for that matter, would have any solid answers.

He’s pulled from his admittedly daunting thoughts by Louis nudging his shoulder with his own.

“Sorry, what? Zoned out. Didn’t get much sleep last night, I’m a bit out of it.”

Charlotte cocks a brow. “Why ever did you not get much sleep?” she asks, eyes jutting between Harry and Louis.

“Charlotte,” Louis says in a warning tone. Harry has to bite his lip to fend off a smirk, Charlotte looking very much the same. Apparently his siblings are just as switched on as Louis.

“Was just saying that we’d better head off. It was lovely to meet you, Harry, even if it was in the virtual sense.”

“Oh, of course! You too,” he grins. He’s not sure whether it would be appropriate to say he looks forwards to meeting her in real life but he genuinely hopes he does. He doesn’t say it, just to be safe.

Louis says his goodbyes and they end the call shortly after.

Harry turns his face towards Louis, turning his body onto his side and laying a hand against Louis’ chest. “I liked her. She absolutely adores you. Your whole family does, I bet.”

“Hmm, debatable,” Louis laughs, wrapping an arm around Harry’s shoulders. “I was a bit of a nightmare of a child.”

“I highly doubt that.”

“I was! A little shit,” Louis protested. “One time, when I was 10, I really didn’t want to go to school, so I set all the clocks in the house, including me mums watch, back 6 hours. You know, so I’d miss the whole school day. Mum was very confused when she woke up to broad daylight at 2am. That soon turned to anger when she figured out what I’d done. She was a couple hours late to work.”

“No, you didn’t!” Harry gawks. “That sounds like a gag from a movie!”

Louis shakes his head, fondly. “I wish I was lying. I cried all day at school because I felt so bad.”

“Oh no!” Harry giggles. “I was a pretty awkward kid, I think. I wasn’t naughty I would just say some weird shit. I was a loud kid. When mum and I would go to pick my sister up from school, I would stick my head out the car window, singing and yelling out to all the kids. Gemma would always get into the car bright red.”

“That is cute though!”

Harry snorts. “Gemma didn’t seem to think so.”

Louis laughs, face bright and eyes crinkled. He buries his face in Harry’s chest.

“One time in third grade,” Harry continues, through both his and Louis’ giggles. “My friend James’ mum had a baby and I was so jealous that I told the entire class, my teacher and all, that my mum was pregnant, but I had like one-up James, you know? So naturally, I told everyone she was having triplets and I was getting three brothers.”

“Okay, you were the real terror child,” Louis gets out between giggles, wiping the corner of his eye where a tear has escaped. “I take it back. You weren’t cute, you were a nightmare.”

“Hey,” Harry pouts, manoeuvring his body to look at Louis, head still rested against his chest. “I’m very cute.”

Louis drags his thumb along Harry’s pouted lips. “Especially with this face.”

Harry leans up, giving him a kiss, which turns into another. And another. And another. Harry pulls back eventually with a frustrated whine. “Everyone’s going to be back soon. We need to get ready for dinner—” He’s interrupted by Louis pulling him in for another kiss. “Gotta get ready,” he mumbles into it. He giggles when Louis pushes him down into the mattress, laying on top of him. “Louis,” he whines, “We have to… We’ve gotta…”

“I’ve got a meal right here,” Louis hums, stretching the collar of Harry’s shirt down and licking down his neck. “Mm, Gourmet,” he hums.

Harry snorts, fingers mixing in the strands of Louis hair as he slowly undoes each button on Harry’s shirt, nuzzling his way down Harry’s body. “Don’t think that’ll keep you very satisfied.”

“Oh, don’t worry.” Louis nips the skin above Harry’s abs, Harry’s stomach twitching with it. Louis smiles, soothing his hands down his torso before taking Harry’s hips in a firm grip.

“You’ve been doing an excellent job at keeping me satisfied.”

“Well maybe I’m not satisfied?” Harry cocks an eyebrow, teasingly.

Louis smirks. “Oh. No?” He puts his hand over Harry’s cock, gently rubbing him through his boxers.

“Louis,” Harry groans, drawing out the second syllable. “We really do need to get ready.”

Louis scoffs, mouth dropping open. “You started that!”

“Excuse me, you were the one that rolled on top of me, undid my shirt and starting rubbing my dick! I just laid here, innocently!”

“Yeah but you said oh you’re not satisfying me in that stupid deep voice of yours, all hot and teasing. That’s a prelude to sex! You wanted me to undo your shirt and touch your dick, thank you very much.” Louis rolls off him with a huff.

Harry chuckles, draping his body over the back of Louis’ and nuzzling his face into his neck, breathing directly in his ear, “You’re ridiculous and if you get up now I will suck you off in the shower.”

Louis groans, rolling over to face Harry, taking him by the back of the neck and pulling him into a kiss.

“On one condition,” Louis says, Harry cocking an eyebrow in reply. “I get to suck you, too.”


	5. Airlie Beach, Cairns

**CONTIKI DAY 16**

There are over six hundred miles between Noosa and their next destination, Airlie Beach. The drive is estimated to take around five hours, but anywhere up to seven and half depending on traffic and road conditions.

As always, Louis is by Harry’s side, though today Harry managed to snag the window seat, a spot Louis will not put himself above fighting dirty for on any other day. Maybe today he was feeling generous. Or perhaps the pout Harry sent his way was the real motivation behind his generosity. By any means, it was most definitely the promise, whispering hotly into his ear, a promise for— _ahem_ —sexual favours upon arrival that was the final nail in the coffin and won him over in the end. The smirk covered up by a rather telling peak of his tongue darting over his bottom lip was the real give away. It made Harry giddy knowing that he could have that effect on _anyone,_ let alone someone like Louis, a man who prides himself on his confident and perfectly poised demeanour. To have him like this, putty in the palm of his hands, to render him compliant when the man reeks of dominance is nothing short of gratifying. It’s the control Harry craves and later, behind closed bedroom doors, he can’t wait to watch Louis reclaim that power and retake a hold of the reins. They’re compatible in that sense.

“Second last big drive, everyone,” Nathan says, as they pile onto the bus, single file line lacking energy this early morning on their way to Airlie beach. They’ve just stopped off for petrol and a leg stretch and despite only being one hour into the drive, Harry cringes as he folds back into his seat, back cramping up already. “Only two more stops of the trip.”

“Don’t remind us!” Comes a shout from the back of the van-- one of the American girls Harry recognises the voice as. He thinks it might be Michelle, the girl who landed herself in hospital just one week into the trip after spitting her head open on a night out, side serving of alcohol poisoning and all. But, kudos to her for picking herself back up and jumping straight back on the Contiki bus just two days after the fact. Boy, can these people party.

Nathan holds his hands up in defence. “Stop your complaining then! You’re a woolly bunch, you are!”

There’s not a lot of chatter on the van this morning so Harry pops his headphones in as Shaun pulls the group out of the service station and back onto the main road. He leans his head back against the headrest, shuts his eyes and contentedly hums as John Mayor’s light-and-shade tone floods into his ears and a soft smile settles onto his lips.

Harry is disorientated when, what feels like seconds later, he’s startling awake. He hadn’t even realised he’d fallen asleep as he groggily squints his eyes open, lifting his head off the point of Louis shoulder and subtly wipes the drool that pools on the corner of his lips with the back of his wrist. He outwardly cringes when he spots the wet spot by the collar of Louis’ light blue shirt, the pigment darkened recognizably. He flushes when he lifts his head to find Louis’ gaze on him, laughter barely contained by his quivering lips.

“Sorry,” Harry winces, eyes downcast as he pointlessly thumbs at the wet spot on Louis’ shoulder.

Louis just shrugs, effectively knocking Harry’s hand away. “Don’t worry about it,” he says, pulling Harry’s head back onto his shoulder.

Harry settles into it, reclosing his sleepy eyes with a content sigh. He gratefully cuddles further into his side as Louis’ arm comes up to squeeze around his shoulders.

“Where ‘bouts are we?” he mumbles into Louis’ neck.

Louis’ hand snakes into the back of his hair and Harry happily leans into the touch as Louis lightly scratches at his scalp with this neatly trimmed nails. “You’ve been out for a couple hours. Oh, by the way, your earbuds fell out when your head plonked onto my shoulder. I just shoved them into the front pocket of your rucksack.” Louis shifts his head to whisper, “Nice red lippie. Didn’t know you were into that but I can’t say I’m disappointed.”

Harry snorts, pressing his nose into Louis’ neck for a second before lifting his head completely. He predicts Louis’ cheeky smirk before he even sees it. “Must be my sisters. When we went to France together, she must have left it in there.”

Louis hums, noncommittally. “Sure, sure.”

Harry scoffs, pushing the heal of his palm into Louis chest. “Shut up. You’re a dick,” he laughs, leaning back against the window, body angled towards Louis.

“Not a secret lovers’ then?” Louis smirks. “No girlfriend desperately awaiting your return back home?” he enquires, theatrically.

Harry crosses his arm, raising a teasing brow. “Are you implying that I’m a cheater?” He tuts, lifting his legs onto the seat and draping them over Louis’ thighs. “Or worse. Are you implying I’m,” he gasps dramatically, fingers daintily covering his mouth, “straight?”

Louis barks a sudden laugh, hand reaching out to grip the part of Harry’s thigh over his lap as he throws his head back against the head rest. “Oh no, love. You’ve experienced this side. Once you’ve batted for the same side there’s no going back to the other team.” Louis raises his eyebrows, pointedly looking at Harry from beneath his eyelashes. “Believe me.”

Harry giggles, placing his hand over Louis’ which still rests against his thigh. Louis places his other on top, so Harry smirks and does the same. Louis joins him in laughing and it feels a little delirious as he lifts their hands, lining up the both of them and threading their fingers together before dropping them into the crevice between his thighs. He clamps them tight, locking them together. 

“I know you’d be a good boyfriend,” Louis says, quietly. He doesn’t even try to move his hands from the vice like grip of Harry’s thighs, just watches them. “I know you’d never dream of cheating.”

Harry smiles, openly. “You’d be a good boyfriend, too.”

Louis huffs a laugh through his nose. “Haven’t been one of those for _quite_ some time,” he says, squeezing both Harry’s palms.

“Yeah? When was the last you were with someone?” Harry asks, squeezing back.

“Uh,” Louis huffs a bashful laugh, dropping his gaze to their joined hands. “My, uh, girlfriend back at the start of Uni?”

“What?” Harry squawks, cringing at his pitch before repeating the question in a more hushed tone. “What?”

Louis pinches his lip between his teeth before lifting his head and meeting Harry’s gaze. “Yeah. Uh, never had an actual boyfriend.” He scratches the back of his neck. “There have been guys, of course. I’ve just been, you know.” He makes a vague gesture with his hands. “Focusing on myself these last few years. On my career and my family.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” Harry quickly reassures.

“I know,” Louis nods. “I need that time, you know?”

“I get it, yeah.” Harry bites his lip, looking down at their hands before quietly asking, “What about now? Are you like… Would you want to, um, be with someone? Have a boyfriend, I mean.”

“I’m ready now, yeah,” Louis says, seriously. Harry lifts his head and their gazes lock. “Have been for a while, I think. If, you know, there was… someone. Yeah, I’d… Yeah.”

Harry nods.

“What about you?” Louis asks, voice louder now as his cheeky grin returns, bouncing their joined hands up and down. “When was your last relationship, young romantic?”

“Young romantic?” Harry snorts. “I was with a guy second and third year of Uni. He graduated, moved away, we agreed long distance wasn’t for us and went our separate ways. First and last boyfriend.”

“Mutual break up,” Louis hums. “That’s nice.”

“That’s nice?” Harry parrots, widening his eyes mockingly. “Ouch.”

Louis rolls his eyes, squeezing their hands again. “You know what I mean. No broken hearts. Just a clean break which is _nice_.”

“Yeah, I know. We knew it was coming, too. To be honest, I think we would’ve broken up anyway, had he not moved away. We were just very different people, I still love and respect him a lot. We just weren’t _right_ , you know?”

Louis nods understandingly. “Do you still speak?”

“A couple times.” Harry smiles and it’s completely genuinely. “He lives in the States now. Chicago. New York for a little while too, which is pretty cool.”

“You seem pretty impressed with this guy.” Louis raises his eyebrows, jokingly. “You sure I don’t have any competition?”

Harry bites down a grin, choosing to ignore the implication that there is something established between them which warrants competition.

“No,” he says, instead, shaking his head. “No competition. As I said, we weren’t right for each other. He was seemingly perfect in every way but if you’re just not meant to be--”

“Then you’re just not meant to be,” Louis finishes. “The guy whose right for you probably won’t be perfect, but he’ll be perfect for you.”

“Exactly,” Harry agrees. He considers not saying the next part, but thinks _fuck it_. He throws caution to the wind, something he normally would never do, and continues, “Or maybe he is perfect as he just doesn’t see it.”

Louis raises an eyebrow. It’s clear they’re not talking hypothetically anymore. It’s flirty but there is an undertone to Harry’s declaration that is as serious as can be and he hopes Louis senses that.

“Maybe,” he dismisses and Harry’s heart sinks for a moment when he thinks that’s all Louis’ going to say. Harry grimaces, realising that he’s probably made Louis’ feel uncomfortable until Louis squeezing their hands once more and Harry lifts his gaze to Louis’ happily shining one. “Or maybe you would just think he’s perfect. Because you’re perfect together.”

Harry’s heart flutters as he falls into Louis’ front, ducking his grinning face into his chest and breathing that lovely smell that Harry can only describe as _Louis_.

***

Harry’s first impression of Airlie Beach is that the gorgeous tropical town has a nice, laid back atmosphere. His second impression comes from the nonchalant sign at the juncture between the small strip of sand that meets the ocean which reads: “WARNING. Recent crocodile sighting in area. Enter at own risk”.

They spend the rest of the afternoon at a sensible distance _away_ from the sea and in the safety of the man made lagoon in town.

Later the entire Contiki group have dinner together before heading to the hostel bar for a couple of cold ones before calling it a night.

*******

**CONTIKI DAY 17**

It’s an early start after a late night. They’re out of the hostel by 7am, buckling into the van and heading down to the marina and boarding their boat by 8am.  Airlie beach is a gateway to one of Australia’s most prised natural wonders, the Great Barrier Reef and Whitsunday Islands and today they will embark on a day tour of all the locally proclaimed best spots.

They dock at Hamilton Island first, the lush green mass of land bustling with tourists travelling about the hilly island on golf carts. It’s all very upper class and by the looks of the real estate on the island, residentiary and non, it’s not a cheap place to stay.

Lunch is provided on the boat, a refreshing buffet of cold lunch meats, bread and salads. They eat as they travel out onto the open waters, on the outskirts of the Great Barrier Reef.

They make a stop at Whitehaven beach, the 7 kilometre stretch supposedly housing the whitest sand and clearest water on any Australian beach. In fact, the guide informs them that the sand is actually thought to be made up of 98% silica which was thought to have been fatefully washed up onto the shores of the island millions of years ago via prevailing sea currents. It explains the pure white appearance and the unbelievable softness of the finely milled grains between Harry’s fingertips as he lays back against it and smooths his hands over the warmth of it.

They have a swim and a bit of a snorkel at Whitehaven beach, too. It’s stinger season, so they dress up in their protective full body suits, covering the entirety of their skin from the mitt-like gloves on their hands and feet to the hood over the tops of their heads. Naturally, they look ridiculous and spend more time taking photos on the boat in their florescent suits, goggles and snorkel combo then they probably do in the water but at the end of the day, Harry’s cheeks sustain a faint ache from laughing so much and no one is stung my any hazardous sea creatures.

In fact, Harry’s counts this one as one of the best days of the entire trip. He loves the days they spend with the entire Contiki group, Nathan and Shaun included. Getting to know everyone while creating all these magical memories together is absolutely incredible and undeniably unifying.

It’s also interesting for Harry watching the way that Louis interacts with the rest of the group and mentally calculating all the differences he sees in his self conduct compared to when the two of them are alone. He exudes this alpha male kind of dominance and is a real leader amongst their fellow travellers, as he does when it’s just the two of them, but he never shows his softer side that Harry has gotten to know and love. He’s witty, sure, but he fails to show that real silliness of his brilliant humour that always has Harry in constant fits of laughter when they’re alone. It’s also his more vulnerable side that Harry can’t see in the self assured man Louis portrays himself as in groups. He’s noticed it around Liam, Niall, Zayn and Sophia, too, and Harry doesn’t know if it’s more of a letting walls down kind of thing or but he selfishly hopes it is.

Maybe Louis has just been comfortable enough with him to let his guard down a little bit, or perhaps Harry brings out that side of him. It’s an interesting switch but it’s fascinating to witness nonetheless.

***

**CONTIKI DAY 18**

Harry wakes up early. Judging by the thin stream of muted light flooding in from behind the curtains and into his bunk, the sun has just barely risen. He tip toes out of the room, careful to not wake a very sound looking Louis, Niall and Zayn, shrugging on the shirt he wore yesterday and adjusting his briefs as he goes. Birds sing a melodic tune as the first rays of daylight wash over the house as Harry steps foot out the main door of the hostel. He parks himself on the rickety veranda chair, stretching his legs out and flexing his toes as he relaxes into the morning sun.

He just sits there, watching the sun float from the horizon into the sky, just taking it all in. it’s a beautiful day, not a single cloud in the sky and a lovely breeze dancing through the trees.

Eventually Sophia joins him, two glasses in hand as she carefully slides through the door.

“What’s this?” he asks, thanking her as he takes one of the glasses off of her.

“Iced coffee. Have the same machine in there as I do at home. I have these perfected, try it.”

Harry takes a little sip, swiping his tongue across the foam that gathers on his top lip. “Mmm. This is lovely. Thanks.”

They drink in a comfortable silence, bodies pressed together as they share the single chair and watch as the hostel slowly comes alive with all the travellers beginning their day. Louis comes out next, eying the two of them pressed together fondly as he crouches down and settles himself on the ground between Harry’s spread legs, looking out over street, too. He wraps one hand around Harry’s ankle as he carefully nurses his own cuppa in the other.

***

The drive to Cairns is long and hot. The air-conditioning struggles to counteract the warmth of the blaring sun beaming in through the panoramic windows. It’s the most uncomfortable drive of the tour by a long shot, only heightened by the lack of sleep and increased heat as they round the end of the trip and travel further north.

They’re about an hour away from the resort, Louis resting his head against the window with Harry’s body domino-d against his side, when Sophia squeals, swatting the two of them awake from where she kneels over the back of her seat.

“Fuck Soph. I finally just got to sleep,” Louis groans, resting back against the window now that the initial shock of the abrupt wakeup call has worn off. “What do you want?”

“On a scale of 1 to 10 how hot are you right now?” she pointedly asks.

“20,” Harry interjects almost immediately, eyes remaining closed. If he opens them then there is no hope of falling back asleep.

Sophia waves her phone around manically as if the device hold the answers to all their issues. “The place we’re stayed at has not one but three pools! Three!”

Harry squints at her, cocking his head to the side. “Did any of you actually read the itinerary before booking a trip on the other side of the world? Genuinely wondering.”

Sophia reaches around the side of the seat, tapping him on the side of his thigh. “Now, now,” she reprimands.

“I can’t believe you just woke us up for that.”

Liam’s head pokes over the top of his seat next to Sophia. His hair is matted down on one side while looking rather dishevelled on the other. His voice is scratchy and flat when he says, “Don’t worry, she woke me up, too.”

“Oh, you’re all party poopers!” she declares with a vague flip of the hand. “Pardon me for being excited about finally being done with sharing a room with you knobs. The room constantly smelled like boy sweat and smelly feet.”

“I’ll own up to the smelly feet but I think your own boyfriend has to take the blame for the boy sweat stench. I’m sorry Liam, but it’s bloody awful, mate.”

“As if, it’s all Niall.”

Sophia shoots Liam an apologetic look. “Sorry, babe. Louis’ right.”

Liam’s mouth drops open and Harry can’t help the laugh it draws out of him. Louis follow suit, dropping his head onto Harry’s shoulder as they watch the couple in front of them bicker over body odour.

Naturally, upon arrival at the resort after the excruciating eight hour drive, they all drop their bags in their rooms and head straight off, taking a dip in each of the three pools within the first twenty minutes of their arrival.

***

**COKTIKI DAY 19**

Peering down between his feet, ascended above the World Heritage listed Tropical Rainforest canopy in Cairns, Harry watches the Sky Rail glide across one of the most botanically fascinating and diverse areas on earth. The comfortable, gondola-style cabin conveniently seats six people and Harry is currently wedged between Niall and Louis, adjacent to him sits Zayn, Liam and Sophia.

The views are absolutely breathtaking, the 7.5km journey spanning over the rainforest scenery, also offering panoramic views of the [Cairns’ tropical region](https://www.skyrail.com.au/visitor-information/cairns) and the glittering waters of the Coral Sea in the distance.

There are two stops along the way, the first mid-station called Red Peak. Their gondola had descended through the canopy layers, deep into the serine centre of the rainforest. The Station is surrounded by towering trees, lush palms, giant ferns and a diverse array of plants and wildlife, a million different shades of green and splashes of vibrant colour making nature’s pallet complete and picture-perfect for the journey.

The forest is alive and buzzing with fauna, the sweet whistles of an array of native species of birds a soothing backing track and the elegant flutter of vibrant native butterflies mesmerising. An electric blue butterfly, which a ranger identifies as a Ulysses, delicately perches itself on the top of Louis hair and now Harry has the most precious photo of Louis grinning widely at his phones camera, finger pointed towards the creature on top of his head. While on the walk, he and Louis held hands most of the time, arms swinging between their bodies as they took in the scenery around them. It’s as mesmerizing as it is magical and not for the first time this trip, he wonders how he got here, how this is the life he has the privilege of living.

The second stop is named Barron Falls, true to its name, the stop reveals a massive waterfall, the deep chasm lined by flourishing vegetation which offers a pretty incredible sight. Since January is pretty nearly smack bang in the middle of Cairns’ wet season, the whole forest is lush and a brilliant, thriving green.

The final 1.7kms to [Kuranda Terminal](https://www.skyrail.com.au/experience/kuranda) takes just under 10 minutes, where they pick up a rather hilarious souvenir group photo.

The main strip of town in Kurunda is a short walk from the Sky Rail terminal and the charming little town offers an array of culturally enlightening attraction as well as an array of art galleries, family owned shops, cafes and restaurants. It’s quirky and a little bit idiosyncratic and Harry kind of loves it.

They’re all now sat on a brick foundation which encloses a little centre garden, gratefully bidding the heat away with an ice-cream cone in hand.

“I can’t believe all them flavours to choose from and you pick plain, old chocolate,” Harry mocks Louis’ choice, taking another lick of his own.

“Can’t go wrong with a classic. How’s yours?”

Harry holds his cone towards him, Louis poking his tongue out and taking a lick of the pistachio flavoured ice-cream. “Good?”

He lifts a shoulder. “It’s alright. Not a huge nut fan, myself.”

“I personally _love_ nuts.”

Louis snorts before leaning in and capturing Harry’s lips in a kiss. Harry’s brain momentarily short circuits because they just… don’t _do_ that. Kiss around the others. Sure, they’ve done a lot of it in private to the point where it feels totally natural but Louis doesn’t even look phased by the uncharacteristic public display, simply smacks his lips together, humming, “Mmm. Pistachio and chocolate. Good combo, who would’ve guessed?” and continues to swirl his tongue around the melting edged on his ice-cream like nothing happened.

Niall, Sophia, Liam and Zayn are chatting away, paying no mind to him and Louis and Harry feels a little bit dazed. They’ve been holding hands a lot the last couple of days and there has been a little bit of cuddling on the van and teasing illusions to the fun they’re having together behind doors but they haven’t _actually_ shown it. Sure, everyone probably knows it’s happening at this point but they don’t actually _see_ it.

For some reason, it’s kind of thrilling to Harry when he leans back in, pulling Louis in by the back of the neck and capturing his lips in another sweet peck, both smiling into the kiss. Harry leans in again, kissing Louis again and again, each closemouthed and innocent.

Louis eventually stops his with a hand on his shoulder. “You good?” he asks, voice inflicted by laughter.

“Yeah.” Harry nods, leaning in once more. “Good,” he mumbles against his lips.

“Oi, you two, hurry up with your ice-creams, would you? It’s fucking boiling out here. I want to head back indoors sometime before I literally sizzle. I’m Irish, my skin isn’t made for this, you know!”

 ***

Dinner is weird that night.

Tomorrow is the official last day of the tour but with no scheduled events, the majority of the group will be making their departure tomorrow morning. The knowledge that this is the last night they will spend all together is thick and present in the air. There’s a weird vibe as they all raise their glasses to a fantastic trip and all the many friendships and memories they made along the way. 

“Speech, speech, speech!” The chant is started by someone down the other end of the table, though Harry doesn’t have the chance to figure out by who as the momentum picks up quickly until the entire group is parroting the mantra towards Nathan. “Speech, speech, speech!”

There’s a collective cheer when Nathan gives in, placing his beer down on the table and rising from his chair. He rubs his hands together as he looks along all the faces around the table.

“Contiki group 43,” Nathan begins. Someone a few people along from Harry whistles, prompting Nathan to fondly shake his head. “Oh, shut up. As I was saying, Contiki group 43. Three weeks ago, that’s what you guys were to me. What you were to each other,” he emphases the last part, gesturing around the table. “The thing I love most about this job is watching all these strangers from around the world coming together and creating these relationships with one another. Watching everyone grow together and form these beautiful, lifelong friendships. These _bonds_ , with people you probably would never had the opportunity to meet had you not come here. To watch you all be able to experience this fucking beautiful country together. To watch you to not only be in awe of all the places and things we do, but to share that awe with each other.”

Harry looks around the table to see everyone enraptured in Nathans words. As he looks at all the individual faces, Harry see’s that. He see’s people that just three weeks ago meant absolutely nothing to him and now what he sees is a story. Each and every face holds a memory. He bites his lip to fend off the tears that are glossing over his eyes, subtly tilting his head back and blinking a few times.

“Harry, man, I see you tearing up and I’m going to need you to stop it if you want me to get through this without blubbering like a baby.”

Harry lets out a watery laugh as everyone at the table snaps their heads towards him, a few ‘aw’s’ heard amongst them. Harry dramatically covers his eyes with both of his palms.

“Nope. Not crying. Absolutely not.”

A hand wraps around the top of his thigh and Harry peaks out from behind his hands to seeing Louis’ signature grin shining back at him. He gives Harry’s thigh a squeeze when their eyes meet before turning back to Nathan.   
“As I was saying, Contiki group 43 now has twenty three individual names, twenty three individual stories and now,” he pauses, grin spreading across his face as he says, “A whole new one shared between all of us to add to each of those stories.”

Another cheer, mixed in with a few whistles reverberates around the table.

“On the first day of this trip I asked one thing of you all. I asked for you to all make the most of this trip, really immerse yourselves in everything that it means to be Australian and I’m pleased to stand in front of you today and say that Australia welcomes all of you. The little family we’ve created in the last three weeks is something that in the three years I’ve been doing this, I’ve never had the pleasure of experiencing. So, I want to thank you all for being a part of this, for being here, for choosing to travel to this beautiful country, to _our_ beautiful country. It has been a fucking pleasure getting to know every single one of you.”

A round of applause erupts, Nathan bashfully waving it off as he re-takes his seat. Harry turns to Louis, just in time to a tear slip down his cheek, just as quickly as it fell, it’s wiped away by the back of Louis’ shaky hand. Harry leans across the space between them, wrapping his arms around Louis’ shoulders and tucking his face into his neck as he loses his valiant battle with the growing lump in the back of his throat. Louis’ arms are strong and grounding around his waist as a range of emotions wash between them.

Harry hears voices around them but he doesn’t realise they’re talking to him until another body plasters itself to Harry’s back, the hollering voice by his ear indicating that it’s Niall. Another body joins the huddle, and another one, and another one, until they’re all huddled around each other in one big, adult cuddle. Harry sniffles a little as giggles pour from his lips, feeling the warmth and love from the group of strangers he now can call his international family.

***

**CONTIKI DAY 20**

When Harry wakes up on the official last day of the Contiki, Louis arm slung over his waist and his warm breath against the back of his neck, he takes a moment to just _be_. The thought of today being the last day is depressing, to put it lightly. Overall, Harry doesn’t think he could’ve organised a better stay, wished for better weather or had the privilege of better company.  It really has been a fairy tale and meeting Louis has been the fantasy love story to rival all. There were no knight in shining armours, just two people, him and Louis, and to him, that is perfect.

Finding Louis has been the most pleasant surprise of the trip and Harry can only pin it down to fate. Something that was meant to be. Something, that three weeks ago, he didn’t believe in. This hasn’t been a ‘summer fling’ and they both know it. This is above that—this is an emotional connection that goes beyond friends, or friends who fuck. This thing is larger than that and the thought expels a pleasant flutter in his stomach. This _thing_ with Louis feels viable, feels _real_. Feels like it doesn’t have to end just because the trip is and while a week ago that exact thought was boarding on terrifying, today it brings a gleeful smile to his lips.

It is the last day but going home doesn’t feel nearly as bad when he knows Louis will be there, too.

Harry inhales deeply through his nose, into the pillow, before rolling over in Louis’ arms and cuddling closer to the front of his body. He melds their chests together, not an inch of space between their bodies as he ducks his head and presses a kiss to Louis’ lips. It only takes a moment for him to stir awake, sleepily smacking his lips together and rubbing his nose into Harry’s cheek.

“Mornin’” Louis rasps, in that adorable sleep riddled voice. He brings his arms higher around Harry’s shoulders, pressing their sleep sweaty chests closer together.

“Hi,” he replies in a whisper, leaning in for another kiss. Louis hums into it, wrapping his hand around the back of Harry’s neck. He pulls back with a wet smack.

“Breakfast?”

***

Stomachs filled and morning grogginess satisfied with tea, they spend the rest of the morning by the infinity pool. He and Louis are joined by Niall, Liam, Sophia and Zayn and after a rather vigorous game of chicken fight, which ended in Zayn smacking his head on the edge of the pool, he and Louis are now lounging on sun beds by the water. The sun beds are comfortable and recline to be completely horizontal and Harry’s enjoying soaking up some rays in comfortable silence.

“Let’s do something today,” Louis says, unprompted after some time of silence.

Harry turns his head towards him, dropping his sunglasses onto his nose, peering at Louis over the lenses with a smirk. “I was counting on it. I believe you made a promise, Tomlinson. I don’t like when people don’t keep their promises.” Harry wiggles his eyebrows for good measure.

Louis huffs a laugh, ducking his head. “I always keep my word,” he promises with a cheeky grin before he’s biting it down, bottom teeth digging into his top lip. “But, uh—I meant we should like go out today. Out, out. Just the two of us. One last _‘Louis and Harry take on Australia 2k17’_ hurrah.”

Harry smiles, perching his sunglasses back on his eyes and laying back onto his sun bed. He angles his face towards the sky. “I never agreed on the name _‘Louis and Harry take on Australia 2k17_ ’.”

“Semantics.” Louis waves him off. “We did make a promise the first day though. That we’d stick together.” Louis spreads his arms out, puffing his chest forwards. “Day twenty and here we are. I think we owe this to our day one selves. Come on, you know you wanna,” he sing-songs the last bit.

Harry smirks. “I think Harry and Louis flows better than Louis and Harry.”

“It most definitely does not,” Louis scoffs. “Besides, it’s the last day. There’s no changing it now. It’s Louis and Harry. Like Batman and Robin.”

Harry just smiles in response, ignoring the little jab of sadness he feels at the recognition that today is in fact the last day. Alas, all good things must come to an end.

He plasters on a smile and says, “Why do you get to be batman?”

“So. That’s a yes to tonight?”

“What did you have in mind?”

“Would you laugh at me if I said I already have something booked?

Harry hides his grin in his shoulder, words coming out a little muffled when he says, “No. What is it?”

Louis stands from his sunbed, crawling onto Harry’s, kneeling his way right next to Harry before laying down flush against him, without an inch between their bodies. It’s hot, both of their bodies radiating heat in the small space between them as the sun beats down on their skin, but Harry is comfortable. “It’s a surprise. We have to leave at like lunch time though.”

Harry’s eyebrows raise on their own accord. He readjusts his body, tucking his front into Louis’ side, head rested against his shoulder. He peers up at him as their feet tangle together and Louis wraps an arm around his shoulders, holding him in place.

“A surprise? Interesting. Do I get to know anything?”

“Nope,” Louis grins. He plucks his sunglasses off his face and pushes them into his hair. Harry does the same, their eyes meeting, vibrant blue and green in the sunlight. “Oh actually, yep! Don’t wear anything fancy. Open shoes, sunglasses, your swim trunks. Things you don’t mind getting wet or sandy.” He snaps his fingers together. “Oh, and sun screen.”

“Hm, I wonder where we’re going,” Harry quips sarcastically, holding a finger to his lips and squinting in mock thought. Louis pinches his waist, eliciting a giggle from Harry as places his hand over Louis’ on top of his hip. “Anything else I need to wear? Or bring?”

“Hmm.” Louis scrunches his lips from left to right in thought before his eyes lighten. “Yeah, wear your hair down,” he says softly, running his hand through the slightly sweat damp curls at the base of his neck down to the chlorinated, crunchy tips. He’ll have to give it a wash and a good condition before they leave.

Louis had just made a comment about the pink tip of Harry’s nose and was suggesting another re-application of sunscreen for them both, when suddenly, a wet, bikini clad body lands on top of them.

“Ah, you’re cold,” Louis grunts, unwrapping his arm from around Harry and pushing Sophia off of them. She sits down on the edge of the bed Louis previously occupied. “What was that for?”

“Just coming to say hi,” she grins madly, waving her hand in front of them exaggeratedly. “Hi.”

Harry chuckles, cuddling himself further into Louis body and drawing Louis’ arm back over his shoulder. Here, his face is nestled in close to Louis’ armpit and that should disgust him, but… maybe Louis is actually onto something about the whole natural scent thing. Maybe it’s just because Louis smells sweet.

“I heard Liam and Niall talking about checking out that restaurant on the beach tonight, you know the expensive seafood one. Last night and all, why not? I think I’m feeling salmon, something really fresh and light. This heat calls for it, I think. You two up for it?” Sophia asks, practically vibrating with energy. “Oh! Also, we were going to try out scuba diving today with the same guy we did the snorkelling with the other day. He’s going to take us out on his boat. You down, too?”

“Oh,” Harry says. He glances at Louis before smiling apologetically. “We actually already had plans today. Just us two.”

Sophia grins, wide and bordering on manic. “Oh, I know,” she says, easily. She juts her thumb towards Louis. “I helped this one make the plans.”

Harry frowns. “Then why did you— “

“Was just seeing if he had asked you yet.”

“Or trying to sabotage,” Louis mutters, cocking his head fondly. Louis flicks his wrist towards her. “Now go away, you pest. Go on. Shoo.”

“Why would I try to sabotage? I am very offended, Louis.” Sophia lays a hand over her heart, face scrunched as if she were in physical pain. Harry is definitely going to miss her dramatics. “I basically set this up. I have a special attachment to hooking you two up. This is how you thank me? I feel betrayed.”

“How on earth do you actually believe you set us up?”

“Oh, please.” Sophia rolls her eyes. “I set you up day one when I tipped you as a couple. I put you two together! I paired you up for the rest of the trip. You may not have even spoken if not for me!”  
“Soph, we met each other before we came up to you!”

Sophia rolls her eyes, waving her hand about in a noncommittal gesture. “Whatever. I get some credit in this.”  

Harry chuckles fondly at the exchange as Louis and Sophia continue to bicker back and forth, burying his nose deeper into Louis’ armpit.

***

Harry is giddy getting ready for his date with Louis. Because that is what it is—a date. Never have the two spent an entire day alone, nor have official plans ever been made for one on one time. The thought of Louis confiding in Sophia, God knows who else, about the surprise sets off another flutter of butterflies to erupt in his stomach.

They had walked back to their rooms together, hand in hand, Louis dropping Harry off at his room, declaring that he will be back to collect Harry at 12pm sharp before backing away with a grin and a ridiculously cheesy kiss to the knuckles. Harry’s smile hasn’t faltered since.

He showers, taking his time scrubbing his scalp with shampoo and detangling the ends with conditioner. He sorts through the clutter of toiletries, curtesy of the hotel, humming contentedly when he finds a sea salt facemask. He applies the gooey, blue-green concoction to his face while singing along to the crooning vocals of Freddie Mercury, swinging his brief clad hips to _Can’t Get Enough_.

“You know what I'm [saying](http://www.definitions.net/definition/saying) baby. I can't get [enough](http://www.definitions.net/definition/enough) of your love,” he hums, rinsing the ruminants of the mask from his fingers before twirling around, flipping his hair from size to size as he dries his hands on the towel.

“Whoa, oh, come on baby. Come on and give it now. Oh. Oh.”

Harry saunters back into the bedroom to the outfit he’d picked out before his shower, laid out neatly on his bed. He gets dressed, minus his shirt before returning to the bathroom to wash the dried face mask off. He pats his face and the dip between his pecks, where water had dribbled, dry, giving himself a generous spray of deodorant before popping his thin, white button-down on. With the bright, patterned shorts he’s wearing on bottom, the outfit exudes a beachy, relaxed feel, a complete contradiction of his normal date attire. It’s refreshing and a real life reflection of his and Louis’ dynamic. They’re _easy_. They just fit.

With a quick sprit of cologne on the collar of his shirt and the insides of his wrist, he plucks his rings off the vanity, returning them to his fingers with a satisfied wiggle. He does the same with his simple silver chain he’s been wearing since he was 17, feeling much less naked without his jewellery.

Sitting on his bed, as unslept in and crisp as when he checked in, he feels kind of guilty about wasting the room. He settles back against the pillow, the sheets stiff and squeaking as the weight of his body pulls it from its tight making. He grabs his phone from the bedside table, taking notice of the time as he unlocks it—11:44am.

He thumbs open his emails, biting his lip when he sees three unread emails from his mum, the first a reply to his last email which he guiltily realizes was almost an entire week ago, the second asking if he had received the first and the third only reading _“are you okay?????”_ received just this morning. He swiftly clicks on the reply button.

_Hi Mum! Sorry for not replying to your emails, I honestly have just been forgetting to check them. Testament to how great of a time I’m having? I think so._

_Today is the official last day of the tour and I can’t believe how fast it’s flown by but at the same time, I feel like I’ve been here forever. I’ve grown so close to everyone on the tour, we really are a little family, just like Nathan proclaimed us on the very first day. It’s sad to think that I probably won’t see most of the others after today. But alas, happy thoughts! Still one day to go! Plus, it’s not all bad for me—I fly to Melbourne tomorrow and have another few days before I have to face the dreaded journey back to England. Louis, Liam, Sophia, Niall and Zayn are all leaving Australia tomorrow, having to get back to their jobs by Monday._

_One day we are you going to Australia together, Mum. I promise you, one day I am going to take you here, and Gem, and we’ll have a family getaway. I think you’d love Byron Bay, Nathan’s hometown—you could even meet Nathan! Anyway, it’s a really hippy-like town, for lack of a better word. The beach is stunning, lots of good food and an incredibly chilled atmosphere. Oh, and we saw dolphins there! Did I tell you that already? I don’t know, I’ll attach a photo I took from the lookout!_

_Anyway, I’ll stop rambling now and enjoy my last day in Cairns, shall I?_

_Love you to infinity mum, I know how much it stresses you when I travel and I’m sorry for not keeping you in the loop the last few days but I will see you in just five days! Miss you lots and lots and lots and lots,_

_Harry xxx_

He’s just clicked send when there is a knock on his door and he’s springing from the bed.

He unlocks the door, swinging it open with a grand gesture behind him. “Welcome to my casa!” Harry grins as an amused looking Louis is revealed, dressed in a loose fitting white tee and blue athletic shorts.

Louis throws his head back on a laugh, leaning his shoulder against the door frame and crossing his ankles. “You said that to me on the first day.”

“I know.” Harry bites down his own laugh. “And then I made fun of your t-shirt and jeans. You’ve gotten even worse at dressing yourself apparently. I think you’re wearing the same shirt as that night actually.”

Louis snorts. “Probably is. I’m running out of clean clothes, to be quite honest.”

Harry almost makes a joke about wearing dirty clothes being terrible date etiquette but he can’t find himself to make it when he knows that his own shorts are still wet around the band from their dip earlier.

“Shall we?” Louis cocks a brow, holding his hand out for Harry to take.

He threads their fingers together, stepping past the threshold and letting the door click shut behind them.

“Let’s do it,” he grins.

They head through the resort towards the reception. They chat comfortably and a little bit more flirtatiously than usual, hips bumping together as their steps match up and Louis is detaching their hands and replacing his at the dip of Harry’s waist.

“Mr. Tomlinson?” A rather dapper looking man approaches them, decked out in an expensive suit and holding his hand out for Louis to shake. “I’m Mark Greenhill, lovely to meet you. And you are Mr. Styles, yes?”

Harry’s eyes widen, flicking to Louis before they’re back on Mark, who is now holding his hand out for Harry to shake with a friendly smile on his face. “Yes, I am. Pleasure to meet you,” he replies politely, albeit a little confusedly, taking Mark’s offered hand.

Mark’s face lights up. “Ah, a surprise I guess?” he directs the question towards Louis.

“It is,” Louis responds, wrapping his arm around Harry’s shoulders.  

“Lovely. Very romantic.” He winks at Harry. “Don’t worry Mr. Styles, you will love it. I am sure of this.”

Harry suppresses a smile, eyes on Louis as he replies. “I trust him.”

“Excellent,” the man claps. “If you will follow me please, the car is right out front waiting.”

They follow behind Mark and Harry almost trips on a lone suitcase as they’re lead through the reception, he just can’t take his eyes off Louis. There’s a soft smile on his lips and an infectious glow in his eyes and Harry doesn’t think he’s seen anyone more beautiful in that moment, sun haloing around the contours of his face and showering him in a warm glow.

He reaches down and slides their palms together, Louis’ warm and a little bit sweaty, but melding perfectly into his own. Louis squeezes and Harry squeezes back before he’s letting go and their both sliding into the car, an expensive looking vehicle in a sleek black, door held open by Mark.

It’s a short drive and anticipation is thrumming through Harry’s body and he’s practically vibrating with giddy energy as Louis plays it coy. If the personal driver didn’t tell him this was a little bit more extravagant than the trip to the beach Harry had been anticipating, than the bottle of champagne in the back of the car definitely did the job. There’s a smug look on Louis’ face as he toasts to a good day, evidently aware of how smoothly he’s sweeping Harry off his feet.

“Louis?” Harry says, peering out the window. “We’re headed away from the beach. Why are we wearing swim stuff if we’re not going to the beach?”

“Maybe that was just a decoy,” Louis smirks, taking a delicate sip of his champagne with his pinky finger held high in the air.

“What?” Harry frowns, genuinely confused. “Where else would—“

Harry is cut off by Louis reaching out, thumb pressing between his eyebrows, smoothing out the lines on his forehead. He strokes over his eyebrow a couple times before tucking the left side of his hair behind his ear.

“Thank you for wearing your hair out.”

“Louis,” Harry whines at Louis’ deflection.

“Don’t stress your pretty, little mind, okay? You trust me, yeah?”

“Yeah. I trust you,” he says, without hesitation.

“Okay!” Louis grins, clapping his hands together. “Then just chill. Drink your champagne and relax. Soak it all up. Not every day we get this kind of treatment, eh?”

Harry nods, though his relief is short lived. As he’s raising his flute to his pursed lips a thought occurs to him which has his eyes bulging dramatically.

“Wait, Louis. This must have cost you a fortune! I didn’t even think about—“

“Drink your champagne and relax,” Louis repeats, a little louder this time, a challenging quirk to his eyebrow.

Harry obeys. He takes a sip of his beverage though his shoots Louis a look which reads _we’ll talk about this_ later as the bubbles pleasantly dance across his taste buds.  Louis snorts, raising his flute, too.

“You’re spoiling me.”

“Good. That was my intention. You deserve to be spoilt, Harry.”

Harry smiles softly around the rim of his flute. “Putting the pressure on me for the next one,” he says, smacking his lips together, licking the little drip of champagne off his bottom lip. “Not sure how I’m supposed to top this.”

“Next one?” Louis raises his eyebrows. “Making that call already?”

“Yep.”

Louis smiles, softly first, before morphing into a full blown smirk. “You don’t even know what we’re doing yet. You could hate it. Could be very easy to top.”

“I trust you,” Harry repeats his sentiment from early. “I know it’ll be perfect and I’ll love it. Whatever we’re doing.”

“How can you be so sure?” Louis jokingly asks.

Harry angles his chin down, gazing intensely into Louis’ eyes. His tone is sincere when he says, “Because you’ll be there.”

Louis ducks his head, disconnecting their gaze and biting down a grin. It shines through, bright and endearing, as he turns his shoulders away from Harry and sets his gaze to the scenic greenery flying past them. It’s a complete blur to Harry’s eyes as the sun shines through the window and creates a halo around Louis’ profile, lightening the tips of his hair and bronzing his skin.

Harry reaches out, tucking the long end of Louis fringe behind his ear before placing two delicate fingertips underneath Louis’ chin and gently pulling towards himself. Louis’ hand comes up to rest over Harry’s as he flattens it against his jaw. The kiss is short but sweet, both of their unfaltering smiles preventing it from becoming anything but. Harry pulls back with a small huff of laughter, resting their foreheads together.

“Seriously though, thank you for doing this.”

Louis pulls back, leaving a quick kiss on the height of Harry’s cheek bone. He strokes over the spot with his thumb before repeating the gesture. “Of course,” he says into Harry skin.

The car slows to a stop and Harry’s jaw goes slack as his eyes instinctively glance out the window. He barely registers Louis’ chuckle, clearly pleased by his reaction.

“Thoughts? Queries?”

Harry’s head snaps back to Louis. “Louis! A helicopter?” he screeches. He clears his throat, dropping his pitch before asking, “We’re going on a helicopter?” 

Louis simply nods before the door on Louis side is being pulled open and he’s sliding out, eyes staying on Harry over his shoulder. He has one foot on tarmac as he reaches his palm back towards Harry, gesturing for him to take it. “Come along.”

Harry grins brightly, slipping his hand into Louis’ and following his out the car.

“I can’t believe this.” Harry shakes his head disbelievingly, exhaling a breathy laugh.

They’re ushered to the helicopter, only disjoining their hands when they guided to step in and given instructions to buckle in. Harry feels dizzy.

“Fuck, Louis. What are we doing? I feel like I’m on the bloody bachelor.”

Louis shakes his head on a gleeful laugh. “I’d make a good bachelor, yeah?”

“Nah,” Harry quickly disagrees. He wraps an arm around Louis’ waist as the propellers begin to spin. “I don’t think I’ll be letting you get away any time soon.”

Louis slips his hand into his right as they take flight, squeezing their palms together as the helicopter rocks from side to side as it stabilises itself in the air. Harry’s heart is racing, adrenaline coursing through his body as he peers down and watches the ground become further and further from reach.

“Ever been on a helicopter before?” The question comes from the pilot.

Louis answers first, raising his voice to say, “I haven’t.” He turns to Harry. “Have you?”   
He shakes his head. “Nope. First time.”

The pilot turns back briefly to smile at them, saying, “Oh yeah? Me too,” before snorting an almighty chuckle, clearly pleased with his own joke.

The helicopter ride is stunning. They head out over the sea and Harry marvels at the view, face just about stuck to the window. The reef is pristine and the bright blue water absolutely glistens from this height in the sun, delicately rippling under the helicopter. It’s nothing like he’s ever seen before. He was in that water just yesterday but seeing it from this angle is so much different. So much more special.

Suddenly, the helicopter is descending and Harry is very confused when he sees not an island, or any significant mass of land, but instead, just a strip of sand, completely girt by sea. There are no trees or vegetation, just sand. It’s small, and not a single being occupies the space. It’s so small in fact, that if the tide was up, Harry would imagine that the entire thing could disappear into the water for a while.

“Wait, what’s happening now?” Harry confusedly asks, eyes flitting between Louis and the way the clear water ripples underneath the wind tunnel created by the propellers of the helicopter. The closer they get to ground, the more vibrant and defined the reef becomes.

Suddenly they’re on the ground.

“Welcome to Vlassoff Cay.”

Stepping off the helicopter, Harry’s hand involuntarily shoots up to cover his gaping mouth. The sand is the whitest Harry has ever seen and he kicks his shoes off as soon as he plants his feet, digging his toes into the silky grains and taking in the mesmerizing, panoramic view.

Louis is by his side, he too taking in the gorgeous scenery. Harry hears an excited bubble of laughter from his side as Louis links their arms together. Louis smile, wide and unabashed, only adds to the appeal of the scenery.   
“Wow.” Louis whistles lowly. “This is sick. Didn’t think it’d be this cool, to be quite honest.”

Harry shakes his head, disbelieving. “I thought we were going to the beach,” he whispers, turning to Louis with the most awestruck grin.

Louis throws his arms out wide. “We are at the beach, love.”

“You flew me on a helicopter to a private island. Louis… I don’t even know what to say. This is incredible. You really didn’t have to do this.” He pulls Louis in for a hug, wrapping his arms tightly around Louis’ shoulders and tucking his face into Louis neck. He places a sweet kiss on the skin there. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

Louis chuckles, the vibrations of it running between their tightly pressed chests and deep into Harry’s core. Harry pulls back at a clearing of a throat. The helicopter blades are still slowing behind them as Mark stands in the entryway, a large, delicately woven basket dangles from his hand and a friendly smile toys at his lips. Louis takes it from him with his left hand, sticking his right hand out for one last shake.

“Two hours, gentleman.”

***

“Hello!” Harry bellows at the top of his lungs, hands cupped around his mouth. “Echo!”

Louis snorts from where he’s stretched out on the sand by his side. He knocks their shoulders together, prompting Harry to take the flute of champagne he’s just poured. Harry does, leaning in and clinking their two glasses together.

Inside the basket, there are had been too divided sides. On one side was another bottle of champagne, an assorted cheese platter, fruit platter, and a plate of freshly cut sandwich triangles. On the other was two pairs of snorkels and goggles, two towels and a large woven blanket which they spread out on the sand right by the shore, laying out the food between them as they stretched out on the blanket.  
Louis sighs after a generous sip of the bubbly alcohol, laying down flat. “Look at all this,” he says, voice full of awe. He sits up enough to tug his shirt of by the collar, stomach muscles flexing with the motion, before laying back against the blanket with a grateful sigh.

Harry plucks a strawberry from the platter they’ve set out between them, popping into his flute and watching the way the bubbles fizz around it. He picks another, raising his eyebrows at Louis who nods at the silent question.

“Thanks, love.”

Harry drops the berry into Louis flute before bringing his thumb to his lips and sucking the little bit of residual juice from it. “I like when you call me love,” Harry admits, laying down next to Louis, angling his face towards him, though mindful not to let his hair fly out onto the sand.

Louis huffs a laugh. “I call everyone love.”

“Not me though,” Harry protests, shaking his head. “You’ve called me everything but love. Actually, come to think of it, you haven’t given me any new nicknames lately.”

“I think I prefer love,” Louis says slowly.

A smile twitches at Harry’s lips. He plucks a handful of grapes, resting them against his stomach as he angles his face towards the sky, popping one into his mouth. “You call me babe, too. Sometimes”

Louis rolls his head towards him. His fingers are fidgeting in the sand beside his hip and his eyes follow the motion as he asks, “Do you like that?”

“I do,” Harry replies earnestly, creeping his hand over to Louis’ before hooking their pinkies together. “Better than being called shaggy.”

Louis huffs a laugh through his nose. “That was the best one I think.” He snatches the grape Harry was just lifting to his mouth, popping it into his own and crunching it open with his back teeth, cheekily grinning back at him.

“Because it makes you Scooby Doo?”

Louis grins. “Yep. And every good character needs a good side kick.”

Harry scoffs. “Oh please. I’m the star of this narrative.”

“Oh, you wish,” Louis jibes, leaning back against his elbow and looking out towards the water. He sighs, dropping completely on his back, spreading his arms out beside him and widening the v of his legs. He lets out an almighty sigh. “Can you believe it’s the last day?”

Harry presses his lips together, swallowing another grape. “Not really. You?”

“I really can’t. At least _you’re_ not leaving tomorrow.” Louis groans, hands running over his face. “34 hours of travel. Ugh, kill me now.”

“What time is your flight?”

“10. I have a car arranged to take me to the airport at 7:30.”

Harry groans, sitting himself up a little to take another sip of his champagne. He’s starting to feel the buzz of it as he turns his head towards Louis’, lifting his hand up to block the sun from his eyes as they focus on him. “So early.”

Louis hums around his own sip. “Tell me about it. I’ve kept my bags pretty much entirely packed since we got here so I really just need to get up and go essentially.”

“And give me a kiss goodbye.”

“Not goodbye,” Louis counteracts, immediately.

“Just a see you later, then.”

“And give you a kiss, see you later,” he agrees with a grin.

Louis steals another grape before turning his entire body onto the side to fully face Harry.

“When I was young we used to do that thing where at dinner we’d all go around the table and say what the best part of our day was and the worst part of our day was,” he says, smile soft. Chuckling, he continues, “I absolutely despised it. I was like fourteen when we’d do it and I thought it was the most embarrassing thing ever. I’m saying this because I’m about to ask you something and if you laugh at it then I want you to know you’re laughing at my family’s tradition that lasted about 3 months over a decade ago.”

Harry cocks an eyebrow. “Would that question happen to be highlights and lowlights of today?”

“Highlights and lowlights of the entire trip I was going to go for, but sure. We can do that.”

“No. I like that better. Too many high points today to pick one and I don’t think I have a lowlight,” he admits. “Plus, day’s not over yet.”

“Very true. Plenty of time to get a lowlight in,” he jokes, tucking the very end of his fringe behind his ear. It proves pointless when a second later the wind sets the stand free once more. “So, best part and worst part of the trip?”

Harry pops the last two grapes into his mouth before mirroring Louis’ position on his side, elbow against the ground with his head propped in his hand. “I think today is my highlight, for sure.”

“No, no. You can’t pick the last day, pick another.”

Harry huffs a laugh. “But this really has been my best day! We had a good morning with the others and then… this. Seriously, Lou.”

“Pick another day,” Louis repeats, seriously, no room for argument in his tone.

Harry settles him with an amused look, angling his face to the sky as he thinks. “Okay, uh. Maybe hiking in the blue mountains? That was pretty special.”

“Ugh,” Louis groans, face scrunched up. “You can’t pick hiking as your favourite. Hiking is no one’s favourite.”

Harry scoffs. “Can’t pick today and now I can’t pick that. What are my acceptable options, then? Which days have been Louis Tomlinson approved?”

“Well, I think I liked Gold Coast the best. Movie world was sick.”

“Ugh. Of course you did.” Harry rolls his eyes fondly. He steals the piece of pineapple Louis’ just picked up, popping it into his mouth like Louis’ had previously done.

“Shut up. You had a good time too. Plus.” He wiggles his eyebrows, picking up another piece of pineapple. Chewing, he cheekily says, “you had an even better time that night.”

Harry snorts. “I’m not even going to deny that, Louis.”

Louis traps his bottom lip between his teeth on a laugh. “Okay, fine. I’ll take your cop out of a highlight if you give me a good lowlight. C’mon, dig deep, love. Was is when Chrissie spewed all over the bus that morning she was super hung over? Or when we lost Niall at that bar in Port Macquarie and we thought we’d lost our little leprechaun for good? Oh! What about when we went surfing? I know you hated that but that was the first week so you were obviously still trying to impress me. I have to be truthful though,” he whispers, as if he were telling a secret. As if there were actually anyone around to hear, “after the fourth nose dive I wasn’t very impressed. You did look very sexy trying, though.”

“I didn’t hate surfing! Seriously, I wasn’t very good but it was fun.” He cocks a challenging eyebrow. “And I definitely wasn’t trying to impress you.”

“Whatever you say,” Louis sing-songs.

“Really though, I don’t think I have a lowlight. I’m sorry!”

“Oh, c’mon Harry,” Louis whines. He reaches out and gently tugs on the front piece of Harry’s hair. “I’m not asking a difficult question.”

“No really. Like, sure, there have been some pretty shitty moments but I don’t wish any of them didn’t happen, you know? None of them are low lights, just part of the overall story,” he says, making a vague gesture with his hands. “And a story that’s all highs would be a pretty boring one, right?”

Louis smiles softly, letting his words hang in the air for a few moments before saying, “You have a way with words, Styles.”

Harry snorts a laugh. He didn’t expect that, though it’s nice to hear. “Thanks.”

“Seriously though, your poetic ramblings aren’t going to distract me from this matter at hand. Just pick a moment. It’s not that deep.”

“Okay, okay!” Harry laughs, holding his hands up in defence. His smirk is devilish as he jokes, “Lowlight was not kissing you for the first ten days.”

Louis takes a handful of sand, feebly tossing it at Harry’s chest. “You’re insufferable.”

Harry’s mouth drops open as he brushes the sand off his skin and carefully sweeps it off the blanket. Louis snort, leaning in and capturing Harry’s lips in a kiss and suddenly, all annoyance leaves Harry’s body as he lifts his hand to the back of Louis’ neck and deepens the kiss.

They spend a while nibbling at each of the platters and idly chatting, slowly working their way through the bottle of champagne all the while. With the food packed away and their stomachs stuffed full, Louis lays flat against the blanket with Harry’s head resting against his bare chest. Louis’ fingers delicately card through Harry’s hair.  

“I’ve been thinking—“

“Oh uh, that can’t be good,” Louis teases.

“Shut up,” Harry laughs as he angles his face towards Louis’, cheek still pressed against his sun-warmed chest. “I’ve just been thinking about like when we get back. And like us? I think I’m right in assuming we both want to continue this, right?”

Louis takes Harry’s hand, reassuringly. “Of course.”

Harry squeezes. “I’ve just been thinking a lot the last couple of days and I think I maybe might move to Manchester?” The to be closer to Louis goes unsaid, though the implication is there.

“Yeah?” Louis tone isn’t exactly excited like Harry thought it would be but after all, he is only speaking in theory. Louis knows that, too.

“Yeah. I mean, I obviously want to keep seeing you. And like living in the same city would be most ideal, right?”

Louis bites his lip, not meeting Harry’s gaze. “I mean, not necessarily. What about your travelling?”

“Well, maybe I’m done travelling for now?” he questions, rather than states. “Maybe it’s time to get on with my life, you know? It’s almost been a year, I have to give it up some time. I know I’m not going to live in Holmes Chapel and… I know Manchester? It’s close. I think it might be where I want to base myself?”

“You don’t want to go back to Sheffield, then? That’s more familiar to you then Manchester.”

Harry raises a challenging brow. “I grew up going to Manchester almost every weekend, Louis.”

“Yes, but you lived in Sheffield full time for the last four years.”

“I just—“

“Let’s not talk about it right now,” Louis says, dismissively, waving his hand around. “I don’t even want to think about Manchester.”

“Oh, okay. Yeah,” Harry answers, dropping his eyes a little dejectedly.

“Hey,” Louis whispers softly, obviously sensing the disappointment in his tone. He hooks two fingers under Harry’s chin, prompting Harry to meet his gaze. “Let’s just focus on now alright? We’re on this beautiful island,” he smirks, “all alone.”

This bring the smile back to Harry’s face. Pinching his bottom lip between his teeth, he raises himself up, rolling his body on top of Louis’, grinning down at him. “Whatever will we do to pass the time?

“Jumping jacks?”

Harry snorts, burying his face in Louis neck. He opens his mouth on the skin just below his ear, feeling the muscle tense and relax under him.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“You just did,” Harry breathes, taking Louis’ earlobe between his teeth.

“Oh, shut up. I’m serious.”

Harry chuckles, leaving one last kiss before pulling back and peering down at Louis. “Go ahead. You don’t have to ask, you know.”

Louis wraps his arms around Harry’s lower back, holding him on top of him. “Okay. Yeah. It’s just, you studied photography, right? At Sheffield?”

“I did. Yeah?”

“It’s just—and this may be a silly question—why aren’t you taking pictures? Have you even brought a camera to Australia? I mean look around us.” His eyes widen as he flings his arms out wide. “We’ve been so some of the most beautiful places in the last 3 weeks and you’ve even taken as minimal as possible, low quality, iPhone pictures.”

“I didn’t bring a camera,” Harry confirms.  

“Why?” Louis pushes. His curiosity implies that the question has been on his mind for a while.

“It’s really not that interesting of an answer.”

Louis cocks his head. “Everything you say is interesting to me.”

Harry snorts, dropping his forehead onto Louis’. “I know you’re trying to sweet but we both know that’s not true.” He pulls his face back, huffing at the way his hair curtains around his face before dropping himself back onto the blanket. He stays close, laying on his side and pressing his front into the flank of Louis’ body. He smiles when Louis keeps one arm wrapped around his middle.

“Yeah. You do talk some shit. I like hearing you talk though so go on.”

Harry snorts. “I guess I just wanted to live in the moment for once. Experience everything with my eyes. I found on my last trip, every new thing I saw, every new place I went to, I just saw it through my camera lens, if that makes sense? Like, I went to these beautiful places and all I was focusing on was taking pictures. Or just like, how they would turn out. I saw these beautiful things and I didn’t see them for what they were, I saw them as a photo. I saw them as my canvas and not as… I don’t know? What they were, I guess. I probably explained that awfully.”

“No, no,” Louis denies quickly, shaking his head. “I get what you’re saying. Like you weren’t taking time to take everything in? You were distracted.”

“Yeah. Exactly. I think distracted is the perfect word. I didn’t want to do that this time around. I wanted to experience things and enjoy them.”

“Have you done that?” Louis presses. “Do you think you’ve experienced and enjoyed Australia?”

Harry lifts himself up onto his elbow, resting his head in his palm as he peers down at Louis, taking in his profile. “I think I’ve had the best time of my life. And I wouldn’t change a thing.”

“Me neither,” Louis grins. “So is that what you like to photograph then? Scenery or whatever?”

“Yeah, mostly. I like doing people, too. I did some pretty alternate stuff in Uni with the human body, which I loved.”

Louis raises a teasing eyebrow. “How many times have you thought about photographing me, then?”

“Everyday.” It’s not a lie though Louis’ laughs like he’s kidding. “I’m not just saying this to butter you up, you genuinely have really good features for pictures. You’d be really easy to photograph.”

“Yeah?”

“Yep,” Harry says, popping the p. He sits up, throwing his leg over Louis and sitting himself over Louis’ hips. He lifts his hands up to his eyes as if he were holding a camera, squinting his eyes as if he were looking through the lens. “Stunning. Perfect.”

Louis barks a laugh, throwing his head back. The photo in his head just gets better with Louis’ neck elegantly elongated and the happy crinkles by his eyes all the more prominent. He really is breathtaking.

Louis pinches Harry’s hip. “You’re silly,” he says, voice still inflicted with laughter.

Harry flinches away from Louis’ fingers, raising himself to his feet. He looks out to the water behind them, turning back to Louis with his arm outstretched for him to take. “C’mon. Let’s go for a swim.”

“I could swim,” Louis says, sitting up, ruffling his hair as he goes. “I’m so hot.”

“Yeah you are,” Harry winks as Louis lets him pull him to his feet. He lands a teasing slap on Harry’s arse once he’s on his feet.

“Silly, silly boy.”

Harry smirks, bending down, pressing his shoulder into Louis’ stomach and throwing him over his shoulder. Louis’ protesting screech is disturbed by his happy giggles as Harry takes off towards the water. “Your silly boy.”

He makes it to about knee deep before he makes the inevitable tumble, the salt water holding his legs back as his upper body propels forwards, plummeting them both into the water with a satisfying splash. Louis’ face is practically glowing with delight when he emerges from the water, face split open in a glorious grin. Harry doesn’t think he can be blamed when he pulls Louis in and captures his lips with his own, teeth knocking together as they both laugh into it.

***

The sun sets on the drive back to the resort. Louis and Harry sit side by side in the back seat of the car in comfortable silence, content in watching the scenery outside fly by, painted in the golden radiance of the lowering sun.

Harry falls back against the bed with a happy sigh upon entering the room, having no trouble ignoring the slight itch of dried salt water and sand on his body as soon as his body hits the cool, soft duvet.

“Harry.” Louis’ voice is stark in the silent darkness of the room and Harry lifts his head curiously at the raspy tone.

Louis eyes are dark. The room is dim, the only light source coming from the street lights and moonlight outside which streams in through the gap in the curtains. The room is dim but Harry can still see Louis’ dilated pupils, rimmed by a thin ring of vivid blue. The room is dark but Louis’ eyes are darker and Harry can’t pull his own away.

There is an understanding in the gaze the hold. They both know where tonight is leading. What the past three weeks have been leading to and the knowledge is thick and the air is charged between them. Harry holds the electric gaze as he scoots off the edge of the bed and pads towards Louis feeling like a magnetic force is at play, drawing him closer and closer.

Harry watches Louis’ eyes flicker slightly as he slumps his body against the door, Harry drawing close enough to press his body completely against his front.

Louis’ hand reaches out, fingertips lightly grazing across the inside of Harry’s forearm before dropping it back down by his side leaving Harry’s skin burning in his wake.

“Do you, uh, wanna hop in the shower? Order dinner, maybe?”

Harry bites his lip, curling his palm around the curve of Louis’ hip. “Not really hungry.”

Louis nods. “Me neither,” he says, face swaying closer to Harry’s. Harry angles his his down, aligning they’re faces and moving in closer until their lips hover right next to each other. Harry’s eyes flick between Louis’ lips and his intense gaze, hot breath colliding between them. He leans in a little bit more, eyes fluttering shut as their lips lightly graze.

Louis is the one to close the distance in the end. The kiss is tender and so intimate that it makes Harry’s toe’s curl. Their mouths slowly meld together in a well rehearsed dance as Louis’ fingers walk around his back, digging his fingers into the flesh at the top of Harry’s arse and pulling him in closer.

“Bed,” Harry breathes. “We should get on the bed.”

Louis pulls back with a dazed nod. He slides his hands back to Harry’s hips before dropping them completely. “Lights on or off?” he asks, hand hovering over the master switch.

Harry squeezes Louis’ waist, nuzzling his face into his neck. His lips wetly drag against his skin when he says, “On. Want to see you.”

Sweat, salt and sunscreen are bitter on Harry’s tongue as he opens his mouth on Louis neck, sucking at the skin from right under his jaw down to the flat of his shoulder.

Louis’ face in the stark light of the hotel room is nothing short of beautiful. His skin is tanned and unflawed, a gorgeous flush quickly bleeding its way up his chest and around his neck.

Louis hand grips the back of his neck, bringing his face up and connecting their lips. It’s a little bit harder this time, a little bit more desperate, and the first touch of Louis’ slick tongue almost has Harry’s knees buckling. Their noses rub together and Harry is comforted by the familiar scratch of Louis’ stubble against his clean shaven cheeks.

“I’ve had the best time today, Louis,” Harry says between kisses, wrapping his arms completely around Louis’ waist and beginning to walk them back towards the bed. Neither of them open their eyes. “Thank you so much for organizing that. It was incredible.”

Louis hums, hands cradling either side of Harry’s face. “Wouldn’t have wanted to be stranded on a deserted island with anyone else.”

Harry huffs a laugh through his nose as his knees hit the edge of the bed. “Me neither. Would pick you every day,” he quietly says, dropping down onto the mattress and pulling Louis with him as he gracelessly falls onto his back.

Straddling his hips, Louis’ hands slide down his collar bones to the V of his shirt, slowly undoing each button and sliding the fabric off his shoulders. His hands feel like flames as they explore the expanse Harry’s chest, down to his stomach and around his hips. He leans down, placing a wet, open-mouthed kiss on his sternum.

Harry swallows a whimper, craning his neck to press his face into the crook of Louis neck. “I think you should fuck me now,” he whispers into the skin there, hot breath causing Louis to shiver. 

“Yeah?” he breathes, turning his head to connect their eyes. “That’s what you want?”

Harry nods. He brings his hands up to either side of Louis’ neck, thumbs soothing over his jaw bone. “I would really, really like you to fuck me.”

“Okay, yeah. Okay.” He clears his throat, voice a little less pitched when he says, “I can do that.” He sounds out of breath, a little bit frazzled, and it makes Harry smirk knowing he caused it. He feels a little less out of control this way. He likes having this kind of power knowing that it means the other person is just as affected by him as he is by them. It’s a nice feeling.

They undress each other, eyes and hands both roaming. It makes the processes excruciatingly slow but time inevitably feels like it comes to a complete halt as Louis traces his body with his fingertips. 

They end up at the head of the bed, Harry’s hair splayed out as he lays back against the stack of pillows with Louis knelt over him. The muscle of Louis thighs shift under Harry’s palms, flexing deliciously as he pulls his mouth away and raises onto his knees suddenly.

“Harry. I don’t have any lube. Or condoms,” he rushes as if he’s just realised, tone apologetic. He settles back on his heels, bum gently pressing down on Harry’s groin as his brings his palms to Harry’s chest to balance himself.

Harry sucks in a breath, using all of his willpower to not grind his hips upwards. He slips out from underneath Louis, pressing the heel of his palm into his cock to relieve some of the pressure as he scoots his bum towards the end of the bed.

“I do,” he says, swiftly toeing towards his suitcase at the end of the bed. He plucks a tied plastic bag from inside, tossing it towards Louis.

Louis raises his eyebrows. He unties the bag, taking out the sealed bottle of lube and an untouched box of condoms.

“You bought condoms and lube?” The question comes out like a statement, eyebrow arching high and the corner of his lips tugging up with it. “Someone was sure.”

Harry smirks, crawling back up the length of the bed until he’s kneeling over to Louis. “I’m nothing if not prepared,” he whispers in Louis’ ear, taking his lobe between his teeth.

“Naughty,” Louis quips, giving Harry’s bum a moderate slap. The warmth of the sting spreads through Harry’s entire body, eliciting a broken moan from him. He hears Louis suck in an audible breath, feels the swift rise and fall of his chest underneath him, before his hand settles in the back of his hair, pulling Harry back to meet his gaze. “You like it to hurt a little bit, don’t you? The hair pulling, slapping, bit of teeth action. You like to be roughed up, yeah?”

Harry bites his lip, nodding. There’s a bit of flush on the tops of his cheekbones that he wills away as he pulls back and meets Louis’ gaze. “A bit, yeah. Nothing hardcore, I guess? A little bit of pain doesn’t, well, _hurt_ ,” he says, widening his eyes on the last word.

Louis nods, eyes glimmering with something Harry can’t quite read, but it’s pleased nonetheless. “I agree. What’s the point of two guys having sex if it isn’t going to be at least a little rough, eh?”

Harry snorts. “So you wouldn’t mind if I did this?” He grins as he pushes Louis back against the mattress by the shoulders so that he’s lying flat on his back.

Louis raises his eyebrows at him, smile bitten down with front teeth in his reddened bottom lip. Harry crawls over him, leaning down and connecting their lips in a sweet kiss. He disconnects their mouths, slowly dragging his lips down Louis naked body, swirling his tongue around his erect nipple as he settles himself between his legs. The heat of Louis’ cock, firm and hard, against his body radiates through his entire body.

“Fuck, Harry. Hurry up or I’ll flip us again,” Louis breaths, both hands tightly fisting the sheets by his side.

Harry watches Louis as he scoots further down the bed, holding his mirthful gaze as he trails his puckered lips against the head of his cock, watching Louis’ nostrils flare as he sucks a deep breath in through his nose. Harry raises an eyebrow before he’s pulling away, getting to his knees and situating his hips over Louis pelvis, wiggling around until his cock is lying flat and nestled between his cheeks.

“Going to feel so good when you fuck me,” Harry babbles, eyes closed and revelling in the feeling, imagining the real thing. His hair is still out and cascades down his back as he throws his head back and plants his right hand on the bed between Louis legs. “You’re the perfect size for me. So big. Can’t wait to feel you.”

Louis grips his hips, finger digging into the soft flesh. There’s just the smallest bite of nails. “Yeah. Going to fuck you good, I promise. I’m going to make you feel so good, Harry.” Louis thrusts his hips once, Harry jostling and landing down harder on Louis’ cock with the motion. He whimpers high in the back of his throat at the sensation, at the heat between his sensitive skin and the pressure on his taint. It’s like a promise, a hint at what’s to come and Harry suddenly can’t play this game any longer. He feels more desperate than he ever has before.

“Fuck,” Harry grunts, rocking his pelvis forwards and backwards, Louis’ cock dryly sliding between his cheek. “Need you, Louis.”

Harry rolls off Louis, grabbing the bottle of lube as he settles back against the pillows. He fiddles with the seal, groaning at the uncharacteristic shakiness of his fingers.

He hears Louis chuckle before the bottle is being extracted from his hand. “I got it, babe. Just lay back.” He leans down, leaving a delicate peck on Harry’s hip. “I’ve got you. Gonna make you feel so good, okay sweetheart?”

Harry nods, spreading his legs apart when he feels Louis’ hand stroking the inside of his thigh. Louis settles himself between his legs, coaxing his legs further apart by leaving open mouthed kisses on the insides of his thigh, gradually moving higher and higher until Louis bends his legs with a hand on the back of his knees and his warm breath is against his hole.

“Louis,” Harry whines, tucking his legs to his chest, urging Louis on. “Fuck. Please.”

“I’ve got you,” Louis repeats the sentiment with another kiss.

Harry’s eyes flutter shut as he feels a single, lube-slicked finger circling his rim. He plants his feet back on the bed as Louis pushes past the ring of muscle, raising his bum off the bed slightly and relaxing into the feeling. He lays his hand over his cock, stoking himself slowly with an open palm as Louis stretches him open with his finger.

“Feel good?”

“So good,” Harry hums, wiggling his hips in sync with Louis’ motion. “You can add another. I’m good.”

Louis does, extracting his first finger before pushing back in with two. He works them in and out, crooking his fingers and rotating his wrist to apply a sweet pressure to his taint with the heel of his palm. Harry’s thighs flex as he bucks into the motion of Louis’ fingers, rolling his hips in complimenting circles.

“Been thinking about this for so long. God,” Louis exhales. His voice is a little deeper than usual and a lot breathier. “You don’t even know what you do to me, Harry. I’ve never felt this out of control.”

It burns a little when Louis’ adds a third finger, but it’s so good that Harry can’t do anything but push into it, revel in the stretch. Louis’ not even hitting his prostate and Harry’s hand is now only resting on his cock, but he feels like he could come any second.

“Are you—“

“Yes, Louis,” Harry interrupts, impatiently. “So ready. Please, fuck me.”

Louis pulls his fingers out, Harry crying out weakly at the sudden emptiness. He makes quick work of rolling the condom on before he’s lining himself up with Harry’s hole and slowly pushing in. Harry can hear blood rushing to his ears as Louis bottoms out, the sound as if he’s been submerged in flowing water.

“Oh my God,” he breaths, hands on the backs of his thighs as he tucks them higher and spreads them further, allowing Louis in further until his hips are cradling his arse. “Louis. Fuck!”

“Good?” Louis asks. He says it in a sexy, kind of cocky way but Harry knows that above that, he’s just making sure. Harry’s never been with someone like that before, sexually. A generous lover.

“Better than good. Perfect,” he corrects, nostrils flaring with his deep breaths. “You’re so fucking thick and just. Fuck.”

Louis smirks devilishly. “Perfect size for you still?” He punctuates the question with an experimental thrust of the hips.

Harry whines, wrapping his thighs around Louis’ hips and digging his heels into the backs of Louis’ thighs. “Yes! Keep going, just like that.”

The rhythm Louis’ sets is frantic. Desperate.

the way Louis fucks him is a complete contradiction of his nature outside of the bedroom. The soft, sweetness he typically exudes is replaced by powerful, rough thrusts and filthy words, growled low and desperate. He’s an enigma, a paradox, a puzzle Harry has a blinding desire to solve.

Even now, his eyes are soft, so soft, they’re blown wide and dark with desire but they’re soft all the same. The hands on his hips are much the same, gentle and reassuring, but with a subtle bite of his nails.

“Faster, Lou,” Harry pants, scratching his nails down Louis’ back until they land on his arse, following the motion of his snapping pelvis.

Louis huffs a breathy laugh. “I’m going to break you if I go much faster.” He drops his head into the space between Harry’s shoulder and neck and goose bumps spring to Harry’s entire body as Louis’ puffs hot air against his skin. “Fuck. I’m so unfit.”

Harry laughs despite himself. Louis nips his neck in retaliation, drawing a deep moan from Harry. A spark of heat spreads throughout Harry’s entire body.

“Jesus. Fuck. I’m going to come, Lou.”

Harry reaches down to get his hand on his own cock, lying deep red and neglected against his stomach, though Louis beats him to it, talking him into his fist and pulling him off in pace with his thrusts. He’s so sensitive that the sudden stimulation verges on painful.

“Come for me, baby,” Louis whispers, hot breath licking over his ear. His teeth nip just behind his jaw. “Want you to let go. Come on, love.”

“Hang on, stop!” Harry grunts, legs abruptly dropping. Louis’ thrusts come to a screaming halt. Frowning, his eyes fly over Harry’s face as if searching for any signs of discomfort. “Pull out.”

Louis does so immediately before he’s being pushed from his kneeling position, back onto the bed, head against the pillows in the rumpled heat of where Harry laid. Harry straddles him, leg flying over his hips until he’s hovering above Louis’ middle and reaching behind himself to prop Louis’ cock up.

“Had to feel it like this,” he exhales, teasing the head of Louis cock at his stretched entrance. “You felt so good underneath me. Had to try it out with you like this.”

“Fuck.” Louis’ hands fly up to Harry’s hips. He lays his hand on top of Harry’s on his cock, feeling, both of them keeping it steady as Harry slowly begins to lower himself. “Fucking fuck. Harry, sit the fuck down.”

Harry has his eyes closed, rough breaths huffing through his nostrils as he teases himself on just the tip of Louis cock, hips swinging in a figure eight like motion.

“You were about to come,” Louis gawps, voice coming out a little squeaky.

“I was,” Harry agrees, sinking down a bit more. He keeps his hand behind himself still, fingers tickling around Louis’ balls, drawn up tight and close to his body.

“You were about to come and now you’re teasing yourself,” Louis gapes, disbelief written all over his face. “That’s self-control. Do you enjoy torture?”

Harry hums. “Only the good type.”

Tipping his head back and closing his eyes, he focuses on the feeling of _Louis_. Louis meets him halfway with his thrusts as Harry continues to steadily build his own pace.

Once Louis gets a hand on him it only takes a few pulls before he’s tipping over the edge, coming into Louis’ hand with a shout. Louis’ hips are still moving and Harry pushes into, working himself through his orgasm.

“So beautiful, Harry. Fuck, wish you could see yourself,” Louis groans, face contorted as his orgasm builds. Then his hips are stuttering and he’s coming inside of Harry. “Fuck _me_. Jesus.”

They lay there for a while, Louis on top of Harry, sweat and come drying between them until Louis carefully pulls his softening cock out. Harry grimaces at the feeling.

Louis flops onto his side, reaching his arm out to the bedside table and grabbing his bottle of water. He doesn’t both to sit up as he unscrews the lid and tips the bottle back into his mouth, water gushing out and dribbling down his neck. Harry leans over and licks it off.

“Shit, Harry,” Louis chokes, feebly pushing him off.

“Did I wear you out, love?” Harry chuckles, rolling on top of Louis, planting a sweet kiss on his lips.

Louis smiles into it, flipping them with a leg over Harry’s hips. He pulls back, smiling down at Harry with that devilish grin Harry has grown accustomed to. “Never.”

Harry hums, wrapping his arms around Louis’ body, keeping him on top of him. He revels in the warm weight.

“Do you want to shower? Or wait until morning?” Louis asks, leaning down and capturing Harry’s lips. “I can just wet us a towel if you’d like?”

“I don’t think I can move.”

“Wet towel it is,” Louis declares. He goes to move off Harry, but Harry keeps his arms wrapped tight around him. “You need to let go of me, babe,” he chuckles.

“Don’t wanna,” Harry pouts, eyes remaining closed. “Sleepy time. Goodnight.”

Louis snorts, amusement glimmering in his eyes. “You don’t want to sleep with lube all over your arse and come drying on your stomach.”

“You don’t know what I want. Maybe I’m into that,” Harry quips playfully.

“Well I’m not and I refuse to sleep next to you like this.” Louis pats him on the hip. “Come on, hop up.”

Harry groans, arms releasing Louis as he flops down onto the mattress with a graceless thump.

“Good boy,” Louis says, patting him on the cheek. Harry pokes his tongue out at him.

He almost drifts to sleep in the time it takes for Louis to return from the bathroom with a towel. It’s been a hectic three weeks and now that it’s officially over, Harry definitely feels the exhaustion deep in his bones. He’s one step closer to returning to his normal life and the thought is a little sad but he’s definitely more excited about establishing a life for himself back home now that he’s found a reason to.

Louis returns back to the room quietly, switching the light off as he walks by. He crawls across to him with the wet towel in hand and Harry rolls over to face him.

“Welcome back.”

Louis snorts as he settles in next to him, face to face. He runs his fingers through Harry’s fringe, pushing the bits that have fallen and dangle over his face, back. “You’re chipper tonight.”

As Louis dabs the wet towel across his abdomen, Harry closes his eyes and pictures this home in England. Warmth spreads throughout Harry’s chest as he realises how much he wants this.

He wants slow and sensual and he want rough and dirty. He wants long nights on the town and long days in the sun. He wants adventurous Saturday’s spent exploring the world and lazy Sundays spent exploring each other. He wants it all with Louis, he realizes with a start.

He can picture Louis in his childhood home, having a cup of tea with his mum and amicably bickering with Gemma. He sees a house and a bed they share every single night and the thought should be scary, heck it should be fucking terrifying, but for some reason, it’s not. It’s exciting and makes Harry’s heart leap thinking about it, knowing that this is the real deal. He’s never felt this way before and he knows that this is something very special.

“Just happy,” he whispers, grin surely spreading from ear to ear.

“Me too,” Louis says before he leans in for a kiss. Harry grips the back of his neck, pushing his tongue past his lips, deepening the kiss.

“I’m so glad I met you,” Harry says, softly. He runs his fingers through Louis’ hair, tucking the long end of his fringe behind his ear. “I’ve never been a lucky person. The one day I don’t bring an umbrella, it’s bound to rain, you know? That’s just me. I’m never going to win the lottery. The oyster machines will go down right after I’ve tapped on.”

“It’s a free ride when you’ve already paid,” Louis hums.

“Exactly.”

“It’s the good advice that you just didn’t take,” Louis says, tone mono. Harry frowns, confusedly at Louis’ frankly random words. “Who would’ve though? It figures.”

Harry laughs, though it’s with a confused tilt. “What are you on about?”

“Are there ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife, Harry?” Louis asks, eyebrows drawn together seriously. It clicks and isn’t that just ironic?

“ _Ironic_ by Alanis Morissette?”

Louis giggles, head dropping back against the pillow. Harry buries his face into his exposed neck, groaning.

“I was trying to be serious, Louis,” Harry whines, extracting his face from Louis’ neck with a pout. “I’m not good at this stuff.”

Louis smiles down at him, so soft and sweet that Harry can’t help but smile back. “Go on, love.”

“I just,” Harry huffs, scratching the side of his face while he thinks of his next words. “I was going to say, I’m not a lucky person and I think maybe I was saving up all my luck and I’ve used it all on meeting you.”

“Harry, c’mere,” Louis whispers softly, pulling Harry down onto his chest. He rests his head along his shoulder, angling his face to hold Louis’ gaze. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me and I’m not sure if it’s curtesy of a sex haze or whatever, but regardless, I think I’m the real lucky one.”

“Maybe we’re both lucky.”

As Harry lays, curled up with Louis’ arm loosely slung over his waist, he recognises that nothing has ever felt more right. Being here, with Louis’ by his side, he’s never felt more perfectly content.  As Louis’ eyelids flutter shut and the lines between his brows smooth out as sleep overcomes him, Harry watches, feeling an emotion stronger than one he’s ever experienced before. It’s powerful and overwhelms him suddenly in the darkness of the hotel room in Cairns, Australia.

_How did I get here?_ He asks himself.

“I’ve never felt like this before,” Harry whispers into the humid night air, the lingering smell of sex thick and gratifying. He watches Louis’ nose twitch ever so slightly in his sleep and it brings an endeared smile to Harry’s face. “I think I’m in love with you.”

***

Harry’s awoken the following morning by the door clicking open. He groggily sits up against the headboard and his sleep squinted eyes widen at the cleaning staff wheeling their trolley into the room.

“Oh, sorry sir,” the woman’s eyes widen at the sight of Harry in bed, covers pooling around his waist and his naked torso on full display. “I had been informed that the occupier of this room had checked out. I do apologise for the mix up.”

Harry frowns, only now realising that the other side of the bed is empty and Louis is nowhere to be seen in the room. His eyes zero in on the corner of the room where Louis’ luggage sat the night before. He squints his eyes at the blank carpet space, his heart plummeting into his stomach.

“Is everything alright, sir?” Harry’s eyes snap back to the woman who is now anxiously wringing her hands and Harry realises that he completely ignored her apology. “I can talk to my manager about compensation for the disturbance. I’m sure a free night will be adequate.”

“Sorry, no it’s fine.” Harry smiles tightly, wrapping the bed sheets tighter around his middle when he realises that he’s still completely naked underneath. He awkwardly clears his throat. “And, uh, no need for that. I’m, um, I’m a guest of the occupier of the room. I guess they left before I woke up,” he laughs uncomfortably, running his fingers through the sleep sweaty hair at the back of his neck.

He’s consciously aware that he sounds like a prostitute that Louis hadn’t bothered to chuck out before checking out and to be fair, he kind of feels like one too in this moment. His cheeks are burning. “If you could just give me a minute to collect my things, I’ll be out of your way.”

The woman nods, smile genuine as she hastily retreats from the room.

As he lethargically crawls out of bed, plucks his briefs from the floor and slips them on he thinks _, this is not how I pictured this morning_.


End file.
